


Eligibility & Tolerability

by witandwaldorf



Category: Gossip Girl, Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Humor, Love/Hate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 15:15:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16065803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witandwaldorf/pseuds/witandwaldorf
Summary: Summer in the Hamptons should bring Blair Waldorf a fun summer fling, maybe a golden tan, and perhaps a few drunken exploits with her best friend, Serena van der Woodsen. But it seems all she’s getting this summer is a new nemesis, in the form of Dan Humphrey, and a handful of backhanded insults from her family about her singleness. As summer heats up, so does her hatred for Dan Humphrey and the tension between them inevitably reaches its boiling point.A modern-day Pride & Prejudice Dair story. Inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this story on FFnet but I am re-writing this story and uploading it here. It was one of the stories that was most enjoyable for me to write but since it was one of my first fics, there was a lot of room for improvement. The original also ended a bit abruptly so I'll be adding on one additional chapter bringing it to 19 instead of 18. With that said, the plot of this story is entirely written, just in need of edits and reworking but you can count on it being a complete work in due time.

The sun hangs high in the sky, the warmth beating down on Blair Waldorf as she lays in a lounge chair while sipping a raspberry vodka lemonade. She sets down her drink momentarily to readjust the straps of her Alice + Olivia tropical print one-piece. Beside her, her best friend and roommate for the summer, Serena van der Woodsen is easily chatting to her about tomorrow's event, the annual Summer Kind of Wonderful soiree. At the end of every May, the van der Woodsen's kicked off summer with the festivities, always attended by anyone who mattered in the Hamptons.

This year, would be no different. Lily van der Woodsen, Serena's mother, was in a frenzy over last-minute details as was Blair's own mother, Eleanor, who was an unofficial cohost. Tonight, mothers and daughters would be joining for dinner to go over tomorrow’s schedule.

"Serena, Blair!" Lily's voice interrupts their conversation.

"By the pool, Mom!" Serena calls. Serena lowers her voice to say to Blair, "As much as I love Summer Kind of Wonderful, I sort of can't wait for it to be over. My mom needs to stop bursting into our house with no warning."

"Agreed. Maybe we should change the locks." Blair muses. The small cottage they share every summer in the Hamptons allowed them space of their own and a break from their fussy mothers. Their cottage had a sprawling backyard, pool, and just about everything else they could need. Though it was hardly shabby, it was quite dainty in comparison to the van der Woodsen's beachfront mansion which would host tomorrow's event.

The girls go quiet as Lily walks into the yard. "Girls, listen to this news! I have just confirmed that Anne Archibald, if you recall my new friend from the country club, is bringing her son Nathaniel to the party." Lily's expression is positively gleeful at this development. Meanwhile, Blair and Serena share a look that says _Oh no, here we go again_.

Their moms trying to set them up was no unfamiliar occurrence. Over the years, unofficial arranged alliances had been formed throughout the Upper East Side families. All the moms would gather at their boozy brunches to ruminate as to whose daughter could be paired with whose son. Almost always, their choices were less than ideal.

"I've told her all about you two,” Lily continues. “Of course, and she promised she would introduce you. Oh, and Nathaniel is apparently bringing a friend who is also quite eligible."

Serena rolls her eyes, "Mom you have got to stop trying to set us up! You know I want to meet someone and settle down just as much as you want me to but who even are these guys? The last guy you tried to set me up with wasn’t even legal yet.”

"Actually, I think I know who he is." Blair speaks up and turns her attention to Lily. "Is it _the_ Nathaniel Archibald, who's running for senate?"

Lily nods eagerly, "Yes, the very same! Rumor has it, he's eager to find a wife. You know, politicians need to have a gorgeous wife on their arm and especially one who can deal with the public eye." She gives the girls a knowing look.

"Mom it sounds a bit like you're pimping us out.” Serena remarks derivatively. “What are you going to do when they get here? _Here's my daughter and her best friend, have your pick!_ "

Blair laughs at that. "That makes us sound like cattle at the auction. No, thank you. You can have him Serena!"

"You can have the friend then, Blair. I heard he's quite handsome. The career may be a bit less favorable though…" Lily pauses, "He's a writer.” She says it like the career is akin to being a drug dealer. “But he did go to Dartmouth with Nathaniel so he must have some merit.”

"Well, it doesn't matter to me anyways because I'm not interested. But thank you, Lily, I appreciate you thinking of me." Blair smiles kindly at her friend's mother to convey her gratefulness.

She was thankful after all for the kindness always shown to her by Lily. Given the girls had been best friends since childhood, each other's mothers were close friends and godparents to the girls.

But this summer, Blair wasn't in the mood to be set up. Last summer's romance ended in disaster and she had her fair share of blind dates that all went horribly astray since then. At 29 years old, she was happily single, having just completed her master's in communication.

Serena, on the otherhand, was eager to get married and have kids. She didn't quite have the commitment to a career like Blair. She had always floated from job to job, never sticking around long enough to climb the ladder. Her flippancy had always both irritated and endeared Blair.

"Anyways girls, I will see you both tomorrow!” Lily gives a regal wave. “Oh and Serena, wear your hair down and maybe that blue dress that brings out your eyes."

Serena sighs in exasperation. "Okay mom, bye!" Then she turns to Blair, "So what do you think?"

"About the blue dress?” Blair quirks a brow. “I think it's a bit predictable. Honestly, we should go shopping." She’s already mentally making a list of the new wardrobe items she needs for the growing social calendar.

"About the guys,” Serena corrects. “Not the dress."

"Oh." Blair twirls her straw, taking on a sardonic tone. "I hope one of them is your soulmate, S."

"You're such a spoilsport, B.” Serena playfully nudges her. “Don't blame me when you're a lonely old spinster."

“And don’t blame me when you’ve been thrice divorced from following your mother’s dating advice,” Blair lets her sunglasses slide down from the top of her head to her nose.

* * *

 

The next afternoon, after diligently doing their hair and makeup, Blair and Serena were finally ready to get changed and head to the van der Woodsen's estate. Blair had decided on a pale pink floral RED Valentino mini dress with an embroidered peter pan collar that she planned on wearing with red lace-up heeled Aquazzura sandals. In contrast, Serena had chosen a breezy, off-the-shoulder maxi dress with a thigh-high slit that showed off tan legs, clad in her calf-high lace-up flat sandals.

As with every year, the two arrived at the party a bit early to help greet guests. Especially since many of the guests were family friends. Blair’s feet were already aching from trotting across the expansive mansion in stilettos, carrying floral arrangements and what not. By 5:30 pm, guests have already started trickling in but much to Lily's dismay, there had been no sign of the Archibald's.

"They said they would come. I just hope they don't show up too late." Lily says to Eleanor as she stood in the foyer of the mansion. Both women looked elegant as always, dressed in Waldorf Designs.

"Lily, dear, the party only started 30 minutes ago, I'm sure they will be here soon." Eleanor rationalizes. "The girls must be just as eager as you."

"I can assure you I'm not. Serena on the other hand…" Blair gestures to Serena who is eyeing the door.

"What?" Serena says distractedly upon hearing her name.

"See,” Blair smirks at her best friend’s predictability. “At least they'll have quite the welcome reception. I'm going to get a drink."

On her way back from getting a gin and tonic, Blair is stopped by the Coates family and makes small talk for a few minutes. Their daughter Isabel apparently just got engaged, yet another reminder of her ticking time clock, according to Hamptons society. When she finally returns to her mother, Lily, and Serena, she can see they're in the middle of a conversation with newcomers.

"Oh, there she is, Blair! Come meet our guests." Lily enthusiastically waves Blair over to where she stands. Blair can already tell from the way her stately face is uncharacteristically lit up, that the Archibalds must have arrived.

Before the women are a WASP-y woman of a similar age to her mother, and two guys in their late twenties. The one on the left, has high cheekbones, curly hair, and sports a dissatisfied expression. The other, Blair recognizes from the pages of society articles as Nathaniel Archibald, more commonly known as Nate. He's even better looking in person with his tan skin, Blair has to admit, with his golden-streaked brown hair, and blue eyes. _Serena must be in heaven_. Blair glances over at her and sees indeed, she's practically drooling.

"Blair, meet Anne Archibald," Lily gestures towards the woman and Blair shakes her hand. "Her son, Nathaniel Archibald," Blair outstretches her hand to meet Nate's and is met with a warm smile, "And his friend, Daniel Humphrey."

There’s a brief pause in which Daniel Humphrey does not offer his hand to shake, as is socially expected. But then he seemingly reluctantly offers it and says, "Pleased to meet you," while looking completely unpleased.

 _How rude_ , Blair thinks. She wasn't interested before but now she's definitely not. Serena can have both of them for all Blair cares. She tries to mouth, _What the fuck_ , to Serena but she’s too busy swooning over Nate.

"Nate was just telling us about his career. It's quite fascinating." Lily continues and Blair starts to wonder if maybe Lily is after Nate for herself. She _has_ touched his arm at least three times in this thirty-second interaction.

"Really it's not. Besides, I would hate to bore you with talks of politics at a party kicking off summer of all things." Nate says and the group chuckles along easily, except for his morose friend of course.

Once new guests start arriving, the girls are excused and the Archibald's and Daniel Humphrey recede further into the mansion. As soon as they're out of sight, Serena eagerly pulls Blair into the bathroom, her grip vice-like on Blair’s arm.

"Oh my god, he's so hot, B.” Serena says breathily. “I know it's totally lame to like someone my mother practically chose from me but you think so too, right?"

"Please tell me you're talking about Nate and not his insufferable friend." Blair remarks flatly. She looks in the mirror, checking her lipstick and finds no visible flaws.

"Of course! What's wrong with Dan, though?” Serena seems disappointed. “I thought he was cute too."

"Only the fact that he's incredibly rude and couldn't even bother to iron his shirt before coming to the party. Oh or at the very least use hair product to tame those unruly curls.” Blair wrinkles her nose in distaste. “And let’s not forget the fact that he almost didn’t shake my hand."

Serena laughs, "No wonder you're still single, you have way too high of standards. Anyways, about Nate… What do you think?"

"He's hot, you're hot. You should go for it." Blair can’t help her bored tone. She balances on the counter, relacing her red heels

"I'm so glad you think so too! Okay, let's go find him" Serena pulls Blair out of the bathroom and they rejoin the party. Once they're in the backyard, Serena heads over to where Daniel Humphrey and Nate Archibald are standing and strikes up a conversation. Before she joins, Blair announces she's going to the bar and strides across the lawn to get another drink. She’s going to need it if she has to suffer the company of Daniel Humphrey once more.

"There you are, I've been looking for you." An all too familiar male voice says behind Blair and with it comes the smell of patchouli. _She knows that scent, has washed it from the linens too many times…_

"Aaron." She levels him with her most withering glare. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Burning Man or something?"

"I thought I would finally come see what the Hamptons are all about. Since you and Serena are always speaking so highly of this place. Besides, it means I get to spend all summer with you." Aaron says with a teasing smile.

Aaron Rose, Blair's stepbrother, is the bane of Blair's existence. He deludedly thinks there's something between them since Blair one time a couple years ago drunkenly flirted with him, prior to him becoming her stepbrother, of course.

The regrettable incident occurred at a party thrown by her mother and Blair had just gotten out of a relationship. She had way too much to drink that evening and was looking for something to distract her from her aching heart. Upon spotting Aaron, clad in a leather jacket which she later would learn was faux because wearing dead animal skin is akin to murder (in Aaron’s words), her eyes lit up. On a rebellious kick, she thought, _he looks just like what I need_.

So she strode right up to him and said something flirty, batted her eyes at him, and bantered until she horrifically found out he was the son of Cyrus Rose, her mother's new boyfriend. As soon as she learned this information, clarity hit her and she was fully repulsed. Unfortunately, Aaron did not have the same reaction, with his newfangled ideas on free love, and the interaction seemed to spark some sort of long-enduring crush he wouldn’t let go of.

"Torturing me three seasons out of the year isn’t enough and you decided to hop on the jitney to make summer hell for me too? How very brotherly of you." Blair is full of sarcastic, irritated tones. She starts walking away but he trails behind.

"Blair, come on. How are you? I haven't seen you in months." Aaron sounds genuinely concerned for her well-being.

"I was quite well but then I saw you so now…” She looks off in irritation. “Not so great to say the least." Nearing Serena, Blair says, "Excuse me. Hope you enjoy the party, Aaron." She discreetly shoves him off in the other direction.

"Blair, guess what?” Serena exclaims. “Dan's our neighbor! Well practically at least, he's only a block down from us!"

So in the time Blair has secured a drink and dressed down her stepbrother, Serena has gotten on a nickname basis with him. _Fan-fucking-tastic._ Blair fights the urge to announce they’ll be moving to another block. Or rather, another island.

"How very coincidental." Blair manages, blandly.

Not noticing Blair’s clear irritation, Serena quickly fills her in on what they've been discussing and of course, it's basically just all about Nate. While Blair joins in on the conversation, she can't help but notice how very little Daniel, _Dan_ , Humphrey, or whatever he wants to be called says. He's barely said three words by the end of the conversation.

But either way, Blair has learned enough about him to know he's a pretentious jerk. He went to Dartmouth with Nate and won some literary prize while at school. Now he's a writer for New York Magazine and lives in Williamsburg. Except for this summer of course since he's living in a cottage a block away. Granted, none of those facts alone make him sound that bad but it's all in his demeanor, Blair thinks.

After the sun has set and Blair has done her fair share of mingling, she heads into the kitchen to get a reprieve from the conversation. The windows are open as is the back door and she can hear voices near the door. She recognizes one of the voices as Nate's.

"I have to say, this party was a good idea. I know you had your doubts but I'm feeling optimistic about summer in the Hamptons." Nate is saying as Blair nears the door to listen a little better. She pretends to stir her drink in case someone is watching her eavesdrop.

"Spoken like a man who spent his night talking to the only woman worth talking to. The women here, Serena excepted, of course, are distasteful." Dan's dry voice says in response and Blair's mouth falls open.

"They're not all bad.” Nate counters good-naturedly. “What about Blair? I hear she's single too."

"That doesn't surprise me,” Comes Dan’s harsh reply.

Nate gives a short laugh, "What's so bad about her?"

"She seems like the type of girl who only has a hearty appetite for shopping and gossip. Besides, how else would she maintain a 95-pound Jimmy Choo-wearing physique?" Dan’s tone makes Blair want to step out of the kitchen and punch him squarely in his annoyingly-chiseled jaw.

"Well, there's bound to be someone here for you this summer." Blair listens in indignation as Nate doesn't even bother to defend her character. Certainly, he does not know her well but if he were so sincere about Serena, he should be quick to defend those who are important to her.

"Doubtful. In my short time here, I've learned there are two types of women in the Hamptons. Botoxed women with midlife crises busying themselves with throwing parties while their husbands screw their mistresses and label-whoring socialites scheming their way to the top of the social ladder. Of course, those categories don't include Serena."

"Wow, man, sounds like you've made up your mind about the Hamptons.” Nate sounds a little resigned. “Are you going to use that in your article?"

"Perhaps."

Blair is frozen to the spot, fuming with rage. _How dare that asshole speak about her and all of the other women in the Hamptons for that matter like that? The audacity…_

Taking a deep breath, Blair strides out the back door and comes face to face with them. "Hello." Blair says as calmly as possible.

She doesn’t wait for a reply as she turns to look Dan directly in the eye. "This label-whore, as you so eloquently put it, is actually wearing Aquazzura, not Jimmy Choo." Blair bites back the urge to tack on a _fuck you_ and instead walks away cooly without a second glance.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the encouragement on this rewrite! I find that this story desperately needed it the more I re-edit it. This chapter has been extended in addition to being edited. Hope you enjoy :)

Blair imagines that most people tend to forget about the previous day’s disappointments and irritations. But this was simply not a philosophy she would even consider following. When it comes to matters that deeply irk her, she chooses to let them simmer. With each moment that passes spent thinking about it, her blood heats. Each replay of the incident, in this case, Dan Humphrey’s baseless defamation of her character, results in her blood pressure ticking up just the littlest bit. And by the end of the afternoon, she’s practically boiling over with rage.

She relayed the whole sordid tale to Serena promptly after the incident occurred to which Serena not-so-convincingly offered to retract her interest in Nate. But of course, Blair couldn't be _that_ friend and reluctantly told her that she supposed Nate could be excused from being friends with such an offender. Even if he didn't defend her from Dan's tirade…

Serena had tried to placate Blair by reassuring her that she would not have to see Dan again for a few days and by then perhaps things will have cooled down. But that was before Eleanor phoned to inform the girls that a dinner this evening would be co-hosted by Lily and herself with the Archibalds and the lone Humphrey serving as guests.

Blair is equal parts frustration and trepidation to see him tonight. While she will loathe seeing his pompous face again, she can’t wait to show him what a mistake he made in making an enemy out of her.

While she had contemplated skipping the event, she had decided going would be most favorable. Her presence tonight would be her good deed for the month, surrendering herself to the abhorrent company of Daniel Humphrey all to further her friend's happiness. _Actually_ , she thinks, _perhaps that will be her good deed for the year. It is a rather monumental favor._

As the sun lowers in the sky, Blair slips out of her scalloped bikini and into a black Alice + Olivia fit and flare dress with a center contrast panel. Then, she pairs it with black studded pumps, not feeling like wearing any color. With her attention focused on inflicting her wrath upon her new enemy, she doesn’t have the energy to care about what sort of fashion statement she was making. Although she had no doubt her mother would deem the look far too avant-garde.

Serena, energized by the prospect of seeing Nate again, takes double the time that Blair took to get ready and steps out of her bedroom in a gauzy maxi dress with a braided crown atop her head. She looks ethereal, Blair has to admit.

Her mother and Serena’s mother reiterate this sentiment upon seeing Blair. “Darling, Serena, we simply must have you model the Spring collection.” Eleanor coos, ordering Serena to spin.

As they fawn on her best friend, Blair sees to the dining room to preview the seating arrangements. But naturally, her luck doesn’t take an upswing and instead, she’s seated between her two favorite people.

_Dan Humphrey._

And Aaron Rose.

Perhaps she should add another steak knife to her set of silverware in case she needs to inflict bodily harm on both of them simultaneously.

She goes for the more peaceful route and picks up her name card, reaching for Cyrus’s. But before she can make the swap, her mother strides into the dining room, eyes narrowed.

"Blair, what are you doing?" She snatches the name cards from Blair’s hands.

"Oh, just tinkering a bit." Blair says lightly, reaching back for them.

"Tinkering? Blair, I spent over an hour working on this seating chart. It's the optimum arrangement to generate lively conversation." Eleanor chides while straightening out the tablecloth.

"Sounds like a waste of time to me. Don't you have a fashion line to run, Mom?" Blair doesn’t care that she sounds like an angsty teenager.

Eleanor replaces Blair's name card back to where it was and shoots Blair a look that tells her not to move it again. Blair sighs heavily and retreats into the kitchen where she pours herself a massive glass of pinot noir.

"I think my mother hates me." Blair announces to Serena as she walks into the kitchen. She begins pouring Serena a glass too.

"What'd she do now?" Serena takes the glass and daintily sips.

"She seated me between Aaron and Dan. The two people I hate most in the world." Blair’s tone is morose.

"Can someone you met less than 24 hours again already be your sworn enemy Blair? Maybe you should give him another chance." Serena says lightly, leaning back against the counter.

Leave it to Serena, _goddess of the fucking universe_ to be a fountain full of optimism and forgiveness.

"Not a fucking chance. He's not worth another minute of consideration. In fact, maybe I'll just spend all night gossiping and talking about the latest Prada collection to spite him." Blair thinks of something. "I should just get Aaron to swap seats with me. He and Dan would probably get along great."

Serena laughs. "I still don't get what's so wrong with Aaron. He's cute and really sweet."

"Ew.” Blair practically spits out her wine. “Then you sit next to him."

Serena ignores this suggestion, instead glancing out the window dreamily. "I can't wait to see Nate."

"You're hopeless." Blair takes a huge sip of wine and then stalks off, stilettos echoing down the hallway.

Blair makes herself scarce as the dinner hour approaches, favoring wandering through the gardens to waiting in the foyer like Serena and their mothers. She’s not let off the hook though as Aaron arrives and is promptly sent to fetch her by her mother.

“Hey sis,” Aaron approaches Blair as she plucks at a dying rose bush. Her mother should really spend less time meddling in her love life in favor of tending to the garden. “Your presence has been requested.”

Blair huffs and follows simply because she needs to save her energy for enduring his company during dinner.

“Blair,” Her mother scolds, swatting at Blair’s hair. “You have a petal in your hair. The Archibalds will be here any moment.”

“Oh, perhaps I should run back out to the garden quickly to coat myself in dirt. It’ll complement the rose petals.” Blair remarks sarcastically.

The doorbell ring and her mother strides to greet the guests, not before turning back and giving Blair a warning look.

“Behave, B.” Serena admonishes with a smile from beside her.

Serena floats over to give Anne Archibald an air kiss and Nate a tight hug while Blair favors shaking each person’s hand, except Dan. Everyone is far too distracted that instead of noticing her not offer her hand, she deigns to nod at him cooly with narrowed eyes.

He returns the look with equal warmth or lack thereof.

Eleanor suggests a tour to which Lily and Anne agree readily. Meanwhile, Nate, Dan, Aaron, Serena, and Blair are left to fend for themselves. Never shying away from attention, Serena takes the lead and sets herself at the forefront of the group. “Drinks, anyone?”

Nate nods on behalf of the group and they all follow into the bar area where Serena pretends to know how to make cocktails.

“S,” Blair steps around her to retrieve the bottle of vodka she’s clutching. “Perhaps I should do the measurements?”

“Oh come on,” Serena bumps her shoulder. “You know I make the best drinks.”

“Yeah if you like your drink to be 80 percent alcohol and 20 percent sugar.” Blair concentrates on pouring the shots into the mixer.

“Serena, you can make mine.” Nate remarks in his charming way, eliciting a grin from Serena.

“Mine, too.” Dan chimes in while giving Blair a look that says he doesn’t trust her.

“Oh,” Blair feigns disappointment. “What ever shall I do with that bottle of nail polish remover I was planning on pouring in your drink?”

“B,” Serena hisses and jabs her. She looks up at Dan with an apologetic expression. “She’s kidding.”

“Children,” Eleanor calls from somewhere down the hall. “To the dinner table.”

Blair downs half her drink before following the others.

* * *

She should have finished that drink in its entirety, Blair thinks as she pretends to listen to Aaron’s dronings. Clearly, half a vodka soda was not enough to completely drown him out and this dinner has been nothing but agony.

"It's as though you're in another dimension. I felt as though I surrounded by a galaxy of stars. You would love it." Aaron enthuses to Blair as she butters a bread roll. The jist of his story has been, he recently went to some stoner fest and tripped out, unshockingly.

"Would I really though, Aaron?"

"Oh, definitely." He misses the clear sarcasm in her voice.

"Actually, I've been to that installation," Dan speaks up, leaning forward slightly to speak to Aaron across Blair. "It really is quite captivating."

Of course, he likes the same stupid art as Aaron, Blair thinks. Although she supposes this does give some level of credibility to Aaron’s story. Perhaps it is an actual art exhibit, she had written it off as some hippie-land.

"Hey Aaron,” Blair suddenly sees an opportunity and uses her most sisterly tone. “Want to trade seats so you two can discuss the.." _Shit,_ she forgot the name of it. "Light thing more?"

"And leave you out of the conversation? No way, Blair." Aaron says in his jovial tone. The two guys carry on discussing the reflective variations and other pretentious bullshit.

Blair looks across the table to Serena who has been flirting with Nate the whole night. As soon as Serena catches her eye she mouths, " _All for you._ " Serena in returns shoots a thankful smile her way and resumes her conversation with Nate.

Blair excuses herself from the table as soon as she's done eating which garners a glare from her mother. She heads into the kitchen to refill her wine and is shortly joined by Serena who is starry-eyed.

"Let me guess, you and Nate are already planning a June wedding." Blair muses, airily.

Serena’s eyes flutter shut momentarily as rests her elbows on the counter with her chin cupped in her hands. "I wish. B, he's so perfect."

Blair forces a smile. "I'm sure he will ask you out soon. He looks smitten."

"Let's hope." Serena stands up straight again. "So how's his friend?"

"Still dreadful," Blair replies in an exaggerated voice. “I spent the whole dinner playing out _Would you rather_ scenarios in my head starring him and Dan. Most of the time, Aaron won out which is pretty tragic.”

"I'm sorry." Serena's brows crease for a moment and then relax. "You know, Nate speaks really highly of him. Maybe he just takes some warming up to."

"I didn't realize it was possible to warm up to someone so cold-blooded." Blair scuffs her heel across the marble floor, intentionally.

Serena gives a small laugh and then rolls her eyes. "Well, you never know. I'm just saying maybe he deserves another chance."

"Thanks but no thanks!" Blair chirps and then strides out of the kitchen.

* * *

A brief reprieve from the Humphrey-Archibald encounters arrives over the course of the next week. She gracefully manages to opt out of a dinner at the Archibalds, feigning plans with the Coates. This she succeeded in by saying that she needed to hear Isabel’s wedding plans and of course both Eleanor and Lily were all too thrilled at her taking an interest in nuptials that they let her absence slide. The second event was a brunch at the van der Woodsen’s which she went to but only for the meal portion, skipping out to _look at wedding dresses with Isabel._

By Saturday, she’s thinking that perhaps she had built up this rivalry with Dan and that she would hardly have to see him at all this summer. She could instead, quietly plot his demise from afar.

But then, the tiki bar party happens.

It all started with Serena complaining about how things with Nate have yet to take off. The spark seems obvious but he still hasn't asked her out on an official date. The furthest things have gone, is asking for her number. Even then, he hasn't really texted except one or two brief courteous texts inviting her to some group activity. So Serena decides it's time to take matters into her own hands, in a sense.

She concocts a small party with friends as the perfect setting for him to finally make a move. Serena's opinion is that Nate hasn't asked her out because almost every time they’re together, their parents have been around which is hardly romantic.

Why a tiki bar will prove a more amorous setting is beyond, Blair. She tries and fails to talk her out of it, citing the whole theme as very passe. "Are we hosting a college frat party?"

Serena in turn, calls her a buzzkill and sets off for the antique shop for ‘authentic decor.’

So now, it's 8 PM and their cottage went from cozy and chic to _island paradise_ as Serena put it. Blair not-so-secretly thinks it looks like the tropically themed aisle of a Party City, not that's she's ever deigned to step foot in such a commoner establishment. That would be preposterous. 

The party might be more appealing to Blair if not for Dan being invited. But Serena insisted she couldn't throw a party in the hopes of winning over Nate without inviting his best friend. It would be “terribly insensitive.”

Blair almost threatened to go out and not be present for the party but realized Serena would know it was an empty threat. If all of their friends were over then where would she go? Hang out with Aaron? _Definitely not._

Guests begin trickling in around 8:30 and Serena is playing the role of hostess to perfection. She's matching the theme of the party in a flowy palm print maxi dress with gladiator sandals. Blair grudgingly put on an Alice + Olivia button front floral dress with tiny birds printed on it. It was chosen, of course, by Serena.

The upside of the tiki bar theme is that there isn't a shortage of drinks. The mai tais and pina coladas are surprisingly good even with Serena’s poor bartending kills. Serena originally planned on hiring a bartender but then Blair pointed out that a lot of Nate's campaign set out to make him look humble in spite of his wealthy upbringing. Therefore, having a lavish get together with friends may not help her with securing a relationship with him. So they mixed the drinks themselves and put them in giant glass drink dispensers.

"Have you ever noticed how Dan and Nate are always late?" Blair says to Serena at 8:40. "I bet they won't even show up until 9. _Rude._ "

"They aren't that late!" Serena defends them. "Maybe they just don't want to seem overly eager. You and I do the same for parties all the time."

Blair can’t think of a proper defense for that one, deciding to be quiet. Just as she’s hoping they won’t show at all, Dan and Nate finally arrive.

"Humphrey." Blair channels her inner Medusa as he steps a Chelsea boot-clad foot into _her_ home.

He returns her greeting with a brief quizzical look, "Waldorf."

After greeting them, Blair heads off to mingle with Kati and Isabel. The jerk can fend for himself while Serena and Nate kick off another all-night flirt fest, she decides. Perhaps if he wasn't so rude and standoffish, he would be worthy of conversing with.

It’s only when her drink is emptied and conversation with Kat and Is has fizzled, that she decides to survey the damage instead. She prays the white fur rug hasn’t been drizzled with Pina Colada. But instead of finding some party foul, she discovers Dan surveying her movie collection. "Do you always snoop in your host's house?" She marches over to him with purpose.

Dan turns and looks caught out for a moment. "My apologies, the copy of Finding Vivian Maier caught my eye. I wouldn't have taken Serena for a fan of documentaries."

"What makes you think it's Serena's?" Blair keeps her gaze firm.

"It's not, hers?” His face creases. “Then who's is it?"

"You know, for someone who seems intent on proving his intelligence, you're actually rather dim." Pleasure ripples through Blair at the opportunity to insult him. "It clearly belongs to the other resident of this cottage."

"Right,” Dan nods, putting his hands in his pocket. “Of course."

"Let me guess,” Blair pops a knee and cocks her head. “You thought my movie collection would consist of The Devil Wears Prada, Mean Girls, and that the only documentary I would ever own would be The September Issue. I'm sorry to shatter your rather one-dimensional view of me."

"You're a rather brazen eavesdropper," Dan says after a pause, referencing the night of the incident.

"You're a rather brazen asshole." Blair counters with a smirk.

"I didn't mean any offense. Besides, I did say you _'seemed'_   like the type of girl whose interests would be shopping and gossip." Dan tries to defend himself.

"Oh my god, really? I am _so_ sorry I misunderstood you. I am truly relieved that I only _seem_ like that type of girl. That's a huge difference so thank you for clearing that up." Blair is full of sarcasm. She adds, "Honestly, this conversation is incredibly draining and is making me want a refill." Blair holds up her empty glass. "I'm going to get a drink."

Dan follows her, "I really did misspeak when I said you only have an appetite for gossip and shopping. Clearly, alcohol should have gotten a mention. You always seem to be drinking whenever I see you."

"I wonder why." Blair gives him a pointed look. "It's the only way to endure your company." Blair sticks her cup under the pitcher of Mai Tai. She looks over and watches as Dan refills his glass with Pina Colada.

"You might not want to drink that," Blair says, a wicked smile forming on her face. “I made the drinks.” Dan halts taking a sip, leaving the glass raised halfway to his lips.

He smirks and takes a sip, "I'll take my chances."

Blair looks behind them, toward the firepit which she and Serena had delivered and installed earlier today. She stirs her drink then walks over to it and takes a seat on one of the floor cushions surrounding it.

Without even looking, she knows Dan has followed her and is unsurprised when he sits beside her. "Are you following me?"

Dan ignores her question. "Were all of those movies yours?"

"No, some are Serena's.” She turns her speculative eyes on him. “Why? Do you want to judge me on the rest of my movie collection?"

"No… It's called making polite conversation. Perhaps you've heard of it?" Dan raises an eyebrow.

"No, generally I prefer sparring with words when encountering my enemies."

" _Enemies?_ Am I your enemy? Seems a bit extreme." Dan says with a tiny smirk playing at the edges of his lips.

Blair nods, seriously. "Yes but I suppose I could manage a few minutes of pretending you aren't.” Blair turns her attention back to the fire and lets a little malice disappear from her tone. “All of the movies that star Audrey Hepburn and/or aren't romantic comedies are mine."

"So the copy of Nénette is yours too?" Dan sounds genuinely surprised.

"Don't tell me you like Nénette too?" Seeing his face confirm the fact, Blair adds in a sarcastic tone, "Who knew? The shallow socialite has something else in common with the elitist hipster."

"It was bound to happen, statistically speaking." Dan replies in a factual tone that makes him sound a bit nerdy.

"So you admit you're an elitist hipster?" Blair can't stop a pleased smile from spreading across her face.

Dan shakes his head before taking another sip of his drink, "You're relentless."

Just as Blair is about to let a laugh escape her, she hears the skip of Serena’s shoes on the cobblestone ground. "Look at you two! You're getting along!" Blair turns to watch Serena nudge Nate who smiles back

"No, we're not."

“Yes, we are.” Dan replies in the affirmative as Blair simultaneously disagrees. She can’t help the look of surprise at his response and gives him a look that says, _Really?_   He seems a little sobered by her reaction in the way he shrugs. Meanwhile, Serena and Nate completely miss their silent exchange and take their places on either side of them. With the two of them added, Blair eases into the night, forgetting that the man sitting beside her is her sworn enemy. She even laughs, once. Or perhaps a few times.

And by the end of the night, she feels a little sad to see them go. Not that she’d admit it.

“Serena,” Blair watches as Nate rises from their little half circle. “We should probably get going. I did promise Dan we’d leave early enough that he could get up early to work on his article in the morning. But I did have something I was hoping to ask you, before I leave.”

“Sure,” She stands up smiling, “I’ll walk you out and we can talk.”

Blair also gets up from her seat and is ready to follow them out when she feels Dan’s hand on her arm. She looks back, bemused, her eyes fixed on the spot where his skin is against hers.

She pretends the warmth inflicted by his grip is from her fiery hatred of him. Not from something like attraction.

“Unless you want to completely cockblock your best friend, I’d give them a minute.” Dan says wryly.

“Oh,” She looks up at him and back down where he’s touching her. His eyes follow hers and he lets go. She’s mollified by the lack of his contact and her expression becomes sardonic. “So Nate’s finally making his move? It’s about time. I refuse to host another tacky party just to help her get the guy.” “Ah,” Dan’s face clears. “So that’s what all this was for,” He gestures around. “I didn’t really take you for a tiki-kind-of-girl.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Blair rocks on her heels. “You took me for the hors-d'oeuvres on silver platters offered by cater waiters and pyramids of champagne party kind of girl.”

“Okay,” Dan grabs his jacket from the chair. “I think I’m going to head out before World War III starts between us again. It seems our brief ceasefire has ended.”

“World War IV, actually.” Blair corrects him, following him into the house.

“You’ve been keeping count?” Dan looks back, in surprise, as they cross the living room towards the front door.

“Of course,” Blair gives him an innocent smile. “I’ve got a private bet with myself about how many times it’ll take until I lose my patience with you and start using lethal force on you.”

“In that case,” Dan reaches the door, “I best be going. Goodnight, Waldorf. It was nice not fighting with you tonight.”

“Let’s not do it again sometime.” Blair retorts, smirking before he descends into the darkness of the unlit streets. She lets herself hover, watching his silhouette for just a moment until she finally lets the door close.  


	3. Chapter 3

Blair’s social calendar is brimming by the second week of June. Meanwhile, Serena’s is full of dates with Nate after the first which was deemed a success by her best friend. Although on this particular Saturday, Blair had managed to finally secure her best friend’s company, sans Nate and Dan, at Kati Farkas’ pool party.

Blair is sipping her mojita, kicking her feet idly through the infinity pool as she sits at the edge beside Serena. As their conversation comes to a lull, a voice wafts over that belongs to the person she hoped wouldn’t turn up this summer.

“Is that-?” Serena starts to ask as Blair’s face contorts.

“I think that’s my cue to swim over the edge of the pool and see where infinity leads.” Blair announces standing up, kicking the water off her legs. Serena gets up too, wincing.

“Maybe it won’t be so bad?” She asks hopefully.

Before Blair can answer, she smells his cologne as he leans in to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hello, beautiful."

“Carter,” Blair's face remains neutral as she greets him icily. "What are you doing in the Hamptons? I thought you were added to the persona non grata list around here. Has security slipped?”

"Even Long Island security guards are a sucker for romance.” He smirks. “I’m here for you. To win you back.”

Blair wants to laugh at that. Did he rehearse this? It’s far too trite. "Too late for that. If that's the only reason you're in the Hamptons I think you'll find this summer will be rather dull and lonely."

"It's never too late, Blair.” His hand skates across her bare arm. “I want to talk to you, please. I know I screwed up last summer but if you just give me a few minutes to talk I can explain it all.”

Blair looks down at his hand and the path it traced across her arm. Once she would have found a scattering of goosebumps. But not today. Not this summer.

“Go find another audience, I don’t have time for your sorry excuses.” Blair stalks off, leaving him standing alone by the pool.

Serena is waiting for her by the door to the Farkas summer house. The girls walk in unison inside, Serena eagerly waiting Blair’s explanation. "What's he doing here? I thought he moved to Europe."

"He claims he's here to 'win me back.'" Blair scoffs.

"No, B.” Serena’s nose wrinkles, pushing her Chloe sunglasses higher on her nose. “Please don't get back together with him."

"Don't worry, not planning on it." Blair’s reply comes readily.

"But I know how you are.” Serena protests. “It's like as soon as he comes around, you drop all your standards for him. He’s like your kryptonite.”

Blair shoots Serena a cutting look, irritated. "I do not."

Serena tilts her head. "You sort of do. Besides, after how he left, you can't take him back. And what? One year later he's finally trying to make amends?"

"I know, S. All of those are the reasons I won't be giving him a minute of my time. Besides, I'm over him." Blair says and takes a sip of her drink after refilling it. "We'll just pretend he's not here."

After a nod of acquiescence, finally believing her, Serena follows Blair back into the backyard. They sit beside Kati, trying to ignore Carter on the opposite side of the yard. It works for a while, as a few of the guys keep him company.

As Blair heads back into the kitchen an hour later, clad with her and Serena’s empty glasses he finally catches her.

"Dinner, Blair.” Carter pleads from beside her place at the kitchen sink. “Please let me take you to dinner and if you still don’t believe me after that, I’ll leave. You and The Hamptons will be rid of me."

"Can't I just be rid of you right now?" Blair folds her arms across her bikini-clad body.

Carter runs a hand through his hair. "Look, Blair. I don't want to get into this here. I want to talk to you alone.”

"Too bad." Blair turns away, placing the glasses in the sink and marching off for the backyard again to collect Serena. It’s clearly time to leave.

Carter trails closely. "Lunch then?"

Blair feels herself relenting a bit. Maybe it’s the mojitos or his persistence. “If I say yes, you’ll leave me alone after that? If I decide I never want to see you again. "

"If that's what you decide you want." He looks a little crestfallen.

"Fine.” Blair’s lips pinch. “You can take me to lunch."

Carter smiles broadly, that charming smile that’s always gets him what he wants as he leans forward to kiss her cheek. Blair fights the urge to pull away and manages a polite smile.

“Ready to go, Blair?” Serena seems to receive Blair’s telepathic message. She gives Carter an unfriendly look.

“Ready,” Blair echoes. “See you tomorrow, Carter.”

Once they’re in the cab home, Serena gives Blair a sharp look. “You’re seeing him, tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Blair leans back in the seat. “I told him I’d hear him out. Oh, relax, S.” She adds observing Serena’s skepticism. “It’s only to get rid of him. I’ll listen to whatever clever story he’s spun then tell him we’re done and that’ll be that.”

“If you say so,” Serena’s suspicious tone comes before she turns her attention out the window.

* * *

 

When Blair chose Citrus, a cute airy cafe, she thought it would be the perfect place for her brief tet-a-tet with Carter. An added bonus of the restaurant was the counter service, meaning there would be no waiting around for their orders to be taken and delivered to the table. But she realizes she made a huge error as she sees the glass building is like a fish tank, open and visible for any Hamptoners to observe the scene inside as they walk by.

Carter smoothly pays for their meals, before Blair can even try to retrieve her wallet from her purse. She utters an annoyed thank you as he hands her the cup of grapefruit lemonade she ordered and carries their trays of food to a table. On the brightside, the spot they’re seated at is near the door so at least Blair can storm out easily if need be.

“Thank you, Blair. For coming, I know you didn’t want to.” Carter reaches a hand to touch Blair's but she quickly reaches for her lemonade.

"So what's so urgent that you needed to talk about?" Blair cuts to the chaste, setting her lemonade back down.

“Still no nonsense, huh?” Carter quirks a brow. “I always did like that about you.”

Blair ignores her compliment and keeps her gaze fixed on him. She cocks a brow, indicating her impatience.

"Blair,” Carter takes a deep breath and Blair realizes he seems genuinely apologetic. “I shouldn’t have left like that last summer. I was going through a-” He looks down. “A rough time and I didn’t have my priorities straight. I went to rehab though, a week after I left. I’ve been sober for almost a year now. I want to make things right.”

He looks so sincere that Blair almost believes him. But she can’t shake the sensation of deja vu.

"I've heard that before." Blair idly pierces an heirloom tomato from the panzanella salad with her fork.

Carter sighs. "I know but I'm serious now Blair. I'm 30 years old, I know I'm too old for that shit anymore. I want to be with you and to get my career back on track. My dad lined up a position with me at his firm. I start in a couple of weeks."

Blair looks up at him, surprised. "That's really great, Carter. Honestly, I'm happy for you. But you shouldn't be doing that all for me because it's not going to change my mind.”

"But it's for us. So we can have a future Blair." Carter gives her a hopeful glance, sliding his hand across the table to rest on hers.

“If I’m-”

Blair is interrupted by someone saying her name. "Blair?"

She peers to her right to see Nate Archibald and Dan Humphrey. Both holding bags of takeout orders. Perfect. An audience. She snaps her hand away from Carter and sits up straighter. "Hi."

"Hey." Nate greets her and then turns his attention to Carter. "Carter. You look well."

"You know each other?" Blair frowns looking between them.

"We went to school together." Carter replies blandly.

Nate nods and Blair notices that Dan hasn’t said anything. Though she did notice his eyes focused on Carter’s hand on hers, before she retrieved it from his grasp.

But if Nate and Carter went to school together, didn’t Dan too? There’s an awkward silence, fraught with inexplicable tension. Blair composes herself and forces a smile.

"How coincidental," Blair replies at last. "Carter and I were just catching up."

"We'll let you get back to your lunch.” Nate raises a hand in farewell. “See you, Blair."

Dan nods at her as they leave and Blair is left with an unsettling feeling. He didn't say anything at all during the exchange. He couldn't even manage a polite hello and goodbye. Blair feels indignant at his slight and is reaffirmed he is an arrogant jerk. Even if they did get along last weekend for the duration of an evening.

Blair waits for Carter to explain that uncomfortable run-in but he says nothing. He just shifts the conversation back to the subject of the two of them. “You were saying?”

Blair lets out a breath. “I was saying that…” She tries to remember. “If I’m being honest with you, I’m not sure I was with you for the right reasons. In some twisted way, I think I liked that you were never serious about me. Call it rebellion, or what you want, but it wasn’t right.”

“But maybe it can be now?” Carter asks.

Blair shakes her head, a little sadly. If all of what Carter says is true, there’s no reason she shouldn’t give him a second chance. Except for what she just said. And what she knows is true, deep down. He was always a distraction, a distraction from her mother’s insistences she think about marriage, from all the pressures of adulthood. Never for a second did she imagine him to the man she’d marry.

And she never would.

“Well,” Carter looks resigned. “I promised you I would leave you alone if that was what you decided you wanted. So I will.”

“Friends?” Blair offers.

His face is still a wash of disappointment but he nods. “Friends.”

They bid each other a remarkably civil goodbye and Blair lets her relationship with Carter finally stay behind in the past.

What lingers most as she crawls into her bed that night is not the crestfallen look upon Carter’s face as she turned him down. But instead, that of Dan Humphrey’s eyes lingering on the spot where her hand was entwined with another man’s.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a completely rewritten chapter so it differs quite a bit from the original Chapter 4 of this story posted to FFnet a while back. I think it's much improved and I hope you all think so too! I extended it a bit and hope to do so with future chapters as well. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading :)

Blair mindlessly twirls the straw in her plastic cup, wondering if there’s a better way to spend her time than this. But no, she supposes talking to Dan Humphrey is better than making small talk with one of _them_.

By _them_ , she is thinking of the numerous well-mannered yet mildly fratty boys that Nate has chosen to surround the backyard with tonight. Serena had insisted that Blair accompany her to this social gathering, seeing as she was meeting his friends for the first time. Not including Dan, of course, who they had had the pleasure, or _displeasure_ in Blair’s case, of conversing with on numerous occasions.

While Serena and Nate’s first official date was little more than a week ago, Serena had wasted no time in speeding up the normal dating timeline. With flowers arriving almost daily and a constant stream of texts being sent between the two, Blair wouldn’t be surprised if her best friend was engaged by the end of summer.

“The fact is," Dan is saying when Blair returns her attention to him. "These women are so engrossed in their post-yoga green juice lifestyles that they honestly think the only problem with today’s social climate is the interruption to their daily meditation caused by the helicopter noise pollution.” Blair realizes Dan is still on his high horse about something.

This conversation, or stream of banter, has been ongoing for nearly the full duration of the party so far. To be specific, banter _not_ of the flirtatious nature. Blair has mostly stuck with Dan for company this evening for the sole fact of relating in that both of them were dragged to the party by their best friends and promptly abandoned by said best friends. Blair does have to admit that the very memory of being asked earlier if she was a Kappa or a Delta was enough to make her come crawling back to Dan’s anti-Hamptons rant. Besides, the three G and T’s she has drunk so far has made him slightly tolerable.

The key word being _slightly_.

Until now, that is. Now she’s growing weary of listening to this seemingly endless disdain for the Hamptons and she’s starting to wish he would find a different use for his mouth than unloading said disdain vocally. _A different use…_

In a flash, an image of him kissing her roughly floods her mind and she blinks sharply.

_Fuck, where did that come from?_ She wonders. She looks down and sees her drink is empty. That might be why. She really should have stopped at drink number three. Each one had been laden with a heavier dose of gin than the previous.

She forces her eyes to travel back up to a safer territory, like his eyes, which are alight with passion for what he’s saying. _He does have nice eyes,_ she finds herself thinking. There’s a warmth in them and a spark she finds mildly appealing.

_Appealing?_   No, she quickly shoves that away. Dan Humphrey has _no_ appeal.

She lets out an exasperated breath and cuts off his rant to sober her own thoughts. "What I don't get is why you're even in the Hamptons. All you do is drone on about the ‘lack of culture,’" Blair rolls her eyes, miming air quotes. "And call everyone vapid and whine about how miserable you are. So just leave, Humphrey! No one will stop you, least of all me."

Dan sighs in annoyance and something like disappointment. As though he can’t believe they’re really having this conversation again. "I didn't ever say those things, you did. All I did was make an observation that there is a limited interest in independent arts in the Hamptons."

"Same thing." Blair sounds bored as she fiddles with the straw again.

Dan shakes his head. "I feel compelled to remind you that I do have an obligation to write an article on the Hamptons. Hence my presence here."

"Oh right.” Blair feigns interest. “For your _incredibly important writing job_."

"Honestly, Waldorf,” Dan seems at his wit’s end with her. “I don't think you actually would want me to leave-"

"Oh trust me, I do." Blair cuts in quickly.

"If I left, then how would you occupy yourself?" He challenges. "It seems you spend 80 percent of your time arguing with me."

"True…” Blair nods slowly, pondering. “I _would_ lack an adversary to dispense my most witty insults on."

"You're calling your own insults witty?” Dan frowns. “You think quite highly of yourself."

"More highly than you think of me, obviously." Blair tries to sound flippant.

"I wonder if it would be rude to leave this party already..." Dan glances toward the back patio gate with a pensive expression.

"Since when do you care about being rude?" The rhetorical question comes out automatically.

" _Ha ha,_ " Dan says flatly, unamused. "It seems there's only so long I can keep up the bon mot tossing."

"Oh how sad, you're already out of clever retorts. Seems you aren't quite as smart as you thought." Blair tilts her head in an intentionally condescending way.

"On the contrary. I am smart enough to know when the tension may escalate so high that physical violence will be used, by you not me of course." He tacts with an air of chivalry.

Blair, feeling a palpable frisson between the two of them, considers his statement for a moment. When she looks back at him, her mind is a wash of that vision of his lips on hers and the spark in his eyes and the image of her inflicting any sort of physical feeling on him. Pain or pleasure, it’s one and the same thanks to this endless evening. She looks him straight in the eye. “There are other ways to disperse tension,”

“Of the non-fatal variety?” Dan asks in complete seriousness.

He doesn’t get it. She’ll have to be more clear. “Yes. Rather, of the..." She searches for a term. "Sexual variety.”

The look on Dan’s face is so priceless that Blair knows she will never, ever regret this proposition. She could freeze frame that face and hang it on a wall.

It takes him a full thirty seconds to reply. “I gather, by now, you would have revealed if you were joking. So given that you were being serious, I am inclined to ask if you have frequently have sex with people you proudly claim to hate.”

"Is that your way of asking if I sleep around, Humphrey?" Blair asks incredulously. This offer of hate sex was rapidly reaching its expiration date.

"No, of course not. I just meant, that personally, I do not engage in such practices and am a bit unaware of the regulations. Is it like friends with benefits?" He sounds genuinely curious and Blair decides not to make a joke about how him saying he does ‘not engage in such practices’ makes him sound totally virginal.

"Yes except for the friendship part. More so like, enemies with benefits, I suppose." Blair's patience continues to ware.

"Do you think anyone will notice we've gone?" Dan shoots a furtive glance around the room.

Instead of answering him aloud, Blair just points at Serena who's currently making out with Nate in the corner of the backyard.

Dan’s eyes follow hers and when he looks back at her, there’s a resolve in them. He puts her hand on her lower back, eliciting an unbidden fluttering in her solar plexus, and he leads her out the back gate.

They wordlessly climb into his rental car, equipped with two unopened water bottles in each cup holder, and it strikes Blair to ask him if he can drive. He answers in the affirmative, informing her that he only had one drink. She’s surprised he doesn’t make some dig about her drinking over double that. Instead, the eight-minute drive is spent in silence, although not awkwardly thankfully.

He unlocks the door to his house and Blair follows him in, her skin tingling. She’s starting to wonder if this was a bad idea and sure enough, her bravado evaporates as they step into his dark bedroom.

When she had suggested the hate sex, she had been more than a little tipsy. But the water bottle he had told her to drink before starting the car plus the cool, night air had started to sober her. In fact, she was only mildly buzzed at this point. 

_This_ , this hate sex if it happened, would be a crystal clear memory in the morning. One she couldn't write off as a drunken mistake.

With not enough alcohol pulsing through her bloodstream to inspire confidence, she scans his bedroom to play for time. The issue is this: She has no idea if hate sex involves kissing or not.

Dan apparently is not having this same internal debate because as she warily teeters on the threshold of his bedroom, he reaches out to encircle her waist and pulls her past the precipice. Her stomach lurches as his lips begin to descend upon her. He pauses though, just short of them and she’s realizing he’s giving her a chance to back out.

But Blair Waldorf never backs down from anything. And certainly not this feeling in her veins that seems an awful lot like desire. Their lips entangle and all of the weeks worth of tension is expelled in one furious round of making out, the kind she used to do in high school with her boyfriend before she finally got the courage to ‘go all the way.’ S used to tease her about her apprehension to having sex, she had proudly claimed to have ‘parted the red sea’ the summer before high school.

But then again, this is actually nothing like her high school makeout sessions. There’s no teeth clanking or an excess of saliva. This is something else entirely.

It’s the gentle scraping of teeth across her bottom lip. The light tracing of nails across his back. The slow slide toward the bed and into something deeper. Reignited with confidence, Blair pushes him gently enough that they both fall onto the bed.

She lets both legs come to either side of him and guides his hands toward the zipper on the back of her chiffon mini dress. She has the brief urge to remind him of how much she hates him but decides against it. If she did that, it would only seem like she was doubting that fact herself.

_Which she definitely was not._

Because of course, she hates Dan Humphrey, even with her dress off and his lips kissing her in places that make her eyes flutter shut and reality feel like a delicious daydream.

The daydream ends with them both letting out twin sighs of contentedness. Before they can fall into any sort of encouplement resembling cuddling, Blair gently sits up and lets herself catch her breath on the edge of the bed. She feels his gaze on her as she slows stands up and pads across the bedroom, trying to find her dress. Once she's dressed, she turns to face him.

"See? Not so fatal,” A smirk shines through the darkness. “But to be safe, I should see myself out.”

Dan nods, “Goodnight, Waldorf. I…” He trails off for a moment and Blair wonders if he’s going to ask to see her again. “I'll see you around.” He responds vaguely and she pretends not to notice the tiny pang of disappointment that hits her.

“Indeed.” She replies distantly, letting her words trail behind her as she makes her way to the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all are enjoying this story! Here's another new and extended chapter :)

It turns out, meeting Nate’s friends puts Serena in full-fledged girlfriend territory. And by the following week, gone are the group hangouts of early summer. Instead, the two prefer only each other’s company. Blair wouldn’t mind so much, it gives her an out from attending events and being promptly forgotten about if it wasn’t that they chose the shared cottage as their preferred PDA-shack.

Blair can rarely step out of her bedroom without seeing them snuggled up on the couch or in the middle of a makeout session against the kitchen counters. It’s so frequent in fact that she’s upped their maid’s schedule to daily to counteract against the certain saliva and other bodily fluids she’d rather not think, being shed by their fervent affections.

Her room becomes her haven. She orders a mini fridge and keeps it well stocked with all the essentials: Fresh fruit, wine, and macarons. But the one dilemma is that through her bedroom window she can see exactly the gloriousness of the mid-June weather she’s missing out on.

To counteract the feeling of reclusion, Blair decides to go for a walk. On her way out, she spots Serena and Nate making chocolate strawberries in the kitchen. Before she makes it by unnoticed, they offer her some which she quickly declines. _Gag_ , she thinks to herself.

Once she’s outside, she realizes that she’s hardly dressed for a walk. In her haste to exit before the two of them started feeding each other the chocolate covered strawberries, she put on the first pair of shoes she found. Of course, said shoes just so happened to be unpractical rockstud stilettos by Valentino. At least the beige color matched her floral flouncy skirt and ruffled top so she could appreciate the fact she wasn’t a fashion victim in her rush.

As she walks, she tries to think of a solution for being trapped in what was quickly becoming Nate and Serena’s love nest. She could stay with her mother in their Hamptons manor. But that meant living in the same quarters as Aaron so that was out unless she wanted to be hit on and doused in the smell of weed and patchouli. Her next option would be with one of her outer circle friends but _ugh_ , she thought, they would see her presence as an invitation to climb the totem pole. As flattering as it would be to be showered with constant praise, it would get exhausting. If she could just think of somewhere else-

"Waldorf?” A voice breaks her musings and she looks up started to see Dan Humphrey.

“Humphrey?” She’s frowning as she realizes that _fuck_ , in her absent-mindedness she walked straight in the direction of his house. She notices now, he has two paper bags full of groceries in his hand and was about to go inside.

“What are you doing here?" He looks just as bemused as she feels.

"I don't know. I mean, I didn't mean to be here, obviously.” Blair says quickly, feeling an unfamiliar heat rise to her cheeks. “I was going for a walk, I forgot you lived on this block."

Blair thinks then how odd it is to see him outside of a social gathering and in the harsh light of day. It's surreal in a sense. Especially since she hasn't seen him since they slept together. The memory induces a sudden vulnerability, causing her face to color further.

"While wearing that?" Dan points to her frilly floral dress and heeled sandals with a quirked brow.

Blair regains herself and shoots him her signature withering glare. "No, of course not. I had to get out in a hurry. I feared if I spent another moment in that house with Nate and Serena I would vomit so I left, no matter the state I was in."

Realization spreads across Dan's face. " _Ah_ , that makes sense. So they've taken out to hanging out at your place?" He shifts the groceries in his hands.

Blair nods. "I fear he’ll be on our lease by the end of the week."

"It makes me glad I decided on taking up the magazine on their offer of getting me my own place rather than sharing with Nate," Dan says and gestures to the cottage which is even smaller than hers and Serena's. But still, it's his own place for the whole summer which makes Blair envious.

"Must be nice," Blair remarks wistfully.

"Do you want to come in?" Dan asks after a pause in which Blair realizes they’re still standing out on the sidewalk.

"Why?” She looks at him skeptically. “So you can murder me?"

"Fine, don't come in.” Dan quickly backtracks. “I was attempting to be polite and… _neighborly_ . But since you clearly have better places to be, I retract my offer."

Blair sighs, a little apologetically. “Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad... I could judge your movie collection. It was too dark before."

Blair realizes her mistake too late as the words escape her. She’s just brought up the topic they, presumably pointedly, haven’t discussed. She shifts uncomfortably wondering if the air between them will turn stagnant.

"I guess it's only fair since I judged yours." Dan thankfully doesn’t seem fazed by her reminder of their intimacy and gestures for her to lead the way to his front door. He shuffles to retrieve his keys as he still holds the bags and Blair decides it’s only polite to offer to help as he nearly drops them.

She outstretches her hand to retrieve one of the bags and after looking at her in surprise, he hands it to her. He efficiently unlocks the door now with his free hand and holds it open for her. They set the bags on the kitchen island and she makes a beeline for the rustic armoire posing as an entertainment center. _She has some sleuthing to do..._

She scans the alphabetized titles, looking for something incriminating. She waits for Dan’s admonishment for her “brazenness” but it doesn’t come as she continues to snoop. She's somewhat surprised Dan is letting her be so intrusive.

Her eyes light up at one of the titles and she eagerly rips the movie from its place on the shelf. "The Notebook!" Blair laughs in complete delight.

"That’s not mine, unfortunately for you. It belongs to my sister, Jenny." Dan says quickly.

" _Right_ , I'm sure it does," Blair says between laughs. “You probably don’t watch it nightly, clutching a box of tissues and sobbing over the ending. Maybe even armed with a stuffed animal for company.”

Dan is unamused. “Your imagination is quite vivid but sadly completely inaccurate.”

"Maybe I should go check your bookshelf next.” Blair ignores his denial. “I bet you have every book ever written by Nicholas Sparks. The pages will be littered with annotated Post-Its." Blair wipes a tear from her eyes which started to water from laughing so hard.

"Go check, you won't find one." Dan shakes his head, looking regretful. "I never should have invited you in."

Blair turns her attention to the living room. "Where's your bookshelf? You must have one. Unless you are just pretending to be some literary scholar and actually only do read Nicholas Sparks books."

"It's in the bedroom," Dan replies stiffly.

"Oh," Blair says feeling a bit uncomfortable, her laughter dying. The last time she was in there she certainly wasn't checking out his book collection. "Well, I suppose that's enough tormenting you for now. I can't imagine you owning anything else as incriminating as The Notebook so I’ll stop while I’m ahead."

"I'm guessing you'll tell everyone about my possession of such a movie." Dan sounds bored.

"I mean I have to right? I couldn't _possibly_ shatter your image of me as a gossiping vapid socialite now could I?" Blair feels a little bubble of heat rising in remembrance of the night they met.

"You said it, not me."

"Only after you said it first."

"I thought you said the hate sex was supposed to make each other more tolerable." Dan runs a hand through his hair, roughly.

"Well, _clearly_ , it didn't work, Humphrey." Blair snaps, shoving the movie back into its spot in the armoire.

"I can see that,” He retorts and she thinks he’s going to kick her out. But instead he says something so unexpected, her breath gets caught in her throat. “Perhaps we should try again. The second time might do the trick.”

The traces of irritation have dissipated from his face as he stands just a few feet away from her, awaiting her reaction. She wishes she didn’t find him so attractive right now, in his raw edge t-shirt and a hint of stubble. She should say no, _win the battle._

Her tone eases without her permission and she finds herself giving in to her guiltiest desire. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to do it a second time..." She says it like a question.

"Exactly my thoughts." Dan agrees and their eyes remain locked as the fall into silence. Finally, Dan breaks the silence with a clearing of his throat. "So shall we?"

He gestures toward the bedroom and Blair steps through the doorway, this time with considerably less hesitation than the first. He spins her around once she’s through the threshold and presses his lips to hers. She lets her hands trail up his back and allows him to guide her closer to the bed. But he doesn’t rush it by pushing her onto it just yet.

Blair appreciates this as she relishes the feel of his hands encircling her waist. Vaguely, she recognizes that she should be enjoying kissing him. She should be injecting as much hatred as possible into each and every touch. Her nails should be harshly scraping down his back, her teeth should be scraping against his lips, perhaps even drawing blood.

But instead, it’s impossibly soft and sweet, Blair realizes. She has to stop this. This is turning into something that’s _not_ hate sex.

She whirls Dan around so he’s pressed against the edge of the bed. She gently pushes him down so she can take control. Morph this back into something like hate sex. She pulls at his t-shirt so roughly, she almost rips it. He in return is agonizingly slow in tugging down the zipper of her skirt. Impatiently, she tugs off her shirt and lets out a breath.

Once it’s skin against skin, Blair can feel the hatred pulsing through their bloodstreams. It ignites her veins and she feels his heartbeat pressed against his. With each slide of their tongues, she tastes the fresh sensation of loathing and she revels in it.

Afterward, she doesn’t rush off like before. This time she has the confidence to lay beside him, a foot apart of course, and catch her breath. _Hatred is exhausting._

She turns her head and finds him watching her. She gives him the smallest of smirks before getting up to slip back into her outfit. Still barefoot, she pads over to the bookshelf.

“Not satisfied with your earlier findings?” Blair looks over her shoulder to see an amused expression on Dan’s face as he’s putting his black jeans back on.

"I haven’t decided," Blair says vaguely while scanning the titles. Much to her dismay, she doesn't find anything remotely embarrassing. "It looks like your bookshelf is more vehemently cultivated."

"I actually just keep all my Judy Bloom books stashed in a suitcase under the bed.” Dan strides up behind her, close enough that she would nearly be pressed against him if she turned around. “They’re less likely to be discovered there."

"I knew it." She grins with satisfaction.

Bored of inspecting his bookcase, she looks around for another distraction. She spots a stack of DVDs on the dresser and begins scanning those. These weren’t in the armoire so there’s bound to be something juicy in here.

"You really are a ruthless snoop," Dan remarks with the trace of a smile, sitting back down on the bed as he observes her.

Blair disregards his comment and continues thumbing through the stack of movies. She flips to reveal a title she actually approves of. For more reasons than one. "How fitting,"

She holds it up for him to see, even though it’s his. It's a classic movie from the 60s starring Brigitte Bardot entitled _Contempt_ . It couldn’t be more fitting for the pair of them.

Dan appreciates her cleverness it seems as he looks at her wryly. "I suppose it is."

"I actually have always wanted to see this,” Blair admits honestly, still clutching the DVD. “I've only ever seen one Bardot.”

"I haven't watched it yet either, it was next on my list." Dan pauses before adding, "Nate and Serena are probably still at your place, right?"

Blair groans. "Don't remind me."

Dan takes the movie from her and eyes her. “We could watch the movie, so you could pass the time until he’s left.”

“Or until they’ve retreated to the bedroom,” Blair counters.

“Or that,” Dan slips the disc over in his hands, waiting for her response.

Blair hesitates before saying, "I suppose your company is rather more tolerable than theirs… So yes."

Something like contentment crosses his face and she feels a quick burst of electricity surge through her. She pushes the feeling aside as she follows Dan into the living room. She takes a seat at the far end of the couch and he doesn’t miss the end, taking his place at the other end once he’s inserted the disc into the player.

 _It’s just a precaution,_ she reassures herself, it would be too easy to perceive this as a friendly hangout if she sat any closer.

Then, she follows Dan into the living room. Dan puts the movie in while Blair settles in on the far end of the couch. He sits on the other end, taking the hint. She would hate for this to be perceived as a friendly hangout.

As the credits fade and the movie begins, Blair finds herself so engrossed she all but forgets about the contempt she holds for the man at the other end of the couch.


	6. Chapter 6

The days of June had become monotonous, that it up until two days ago when Blair discovered a preoccupation that wouldn't quite fleet her mind. Frustratingly, hooking up with Dan Humphrey again seemed to have made his presence even more cemented in her thoughts. Especially at times when she had little to do but tan in the backyard.

Today though, she's passing the time by online shopping. There's a party next week that she could use a new dress for and shopping locally was a guarantee to show up wearing the same thing as someone else. As she's adding a shimmery LBD to her shopping cart, there's a knock on the door.

"It's Nate, I'll get it!" Serena calls from the bedroom, her high heeled-footsteps echoing down the hallway a moment later.

"Again?" Blair groans and slams her laptop shut, ready to retreat to her own room.

Entering the living room in a gauzy dress, Serena laughs and rolls her eyes. "Don't pretend you aren't happy for me, B."

"I am, I am." Blair feigns a smile and exhales, standing up. She really is happy for her best friend but she wishes they would hang out at Nate's for once. It really is imperative that she find a gentle way to suggest as much soon.

Serena goes to open the door and greets Nate with an impressively long liplock.

Once inside and free from Serena's lips, Nate waves to Blair. "Hey, Blair."

"Hi," Blair says, non-conversationally as she shuffles her laptop in her hands.

"I have something for you, actually." This surprising announcement makes both Blair and Serena turn inquisitive eyes on him. "From Dan."

"Dan Humphrey?" She has to ask for clarification to which Nate nods. His affirmation makes her suspicious. "What is it?"

Nate furrows his brow too, apparently equally bemused. "He told me to give you this." Nate reaches forward and hands Blair a DVD.

" _A DVD?_ " Serena observes, breaking into laughter. "B, only you would borrow a DVD from someone. I know you want to be just like Audrey but I think even she would invest in a streaming service in the modern world. Haven't you or Dan heard Netflix?"

Nate's face lights up, as though she's just said the wisest thing he's heard all day. "That's what I said to Dan!"

Blair ignores them, too distracted by this confusing turn of events. She surveys the movie and sees it's the old film Behind Enemy Lines. Why would Dan thinks she'd want this? War movies were hardly her thing. Unless she needed hostile inspiration when dealing with a rather difficult opponent. "Thank you," It comes out like a question as she retreats to her room.

Still clutching her laptop, the DVD slides from her palm as she sets her computer down on the bed. As she goes to reach for it, she sees it popped open upon impact and a little white piece of paper, folded neatly, has appeared alongside it. Intrigued, Blair picks it up and unfurls it.

_Third time's a charm, right?_

_-Dan_

As she reads the brief note, Blair finds a smile crossing her face. Even she has to admit the movie choice and delivery method was rather clever. Plus, there's the flattering fact that clearly, he has also been thinking of the occurrence of 48 hours ago. Contemplating for only a moment, she quickly makes up her mind. She sets the note on her nightstand, snaps the DVD case shut again, slips into a pair of heels, and leaves for his place.

"Who knew you could be so ingenious?" Blair asks rhetorically as Dan opens his front door when she arrives a few minutes later. "Quite a fitting choice, I might add."

Dan smiles in that boyish way of his and lets her in. "I figured you would enjoy the allusion."

"I did," Unlike last time, there's no pretense as to why she's there or why he invited her over. This time, they both head confidently into Dan's bedroom and Blair kicks off her suede pumps. She moves her hair aside and steps closer to Dan, turning around so her back is to him.

He anticipates her request and unzips her dress without being asked directly. "Nate didn't open it, right?"

"No," Blair scoffs. "He and Serena couldn't get over that it was a DVD. You'd think it was some ancient relic from 1862 unearthed by archeologists in their presence. It's ridiculous considering that they both are nearly 30 and spent at least half of their lives relying on DVDs for watching movies. Besides the theaters, that is. "

Dan gives a small chuckle. "I know, Nate kept going on and on about Netflix to me as though I hadn't heard of it."

"Exactly! Serena acted like she was doing me some great service by informing me of the power of media streaming." Blair relates with a note of pleasure. Surprisingly, she's actually enjoying this exchange with Dan. It's so nice to have someone to bond over some of Serena's, and Nate's she takes it, infuriating habits. "I mean,  _obviously_ I have a subscription but I'm not going to get rid of my DVDs just because I can also watch them online. Besides, Netflix's library is quite lacking when it comes to the genres I prefer."

"Right? They just don't get it." Dan says resolutely, pulling back the sheets of his neatly made bed. She wonders, idly, if he made it up so nicely in anticipation of her coming over.

Blair nods in accordance as she slips under the sheets with him. In a familiar fashion, her hips find his and their lips connect. With a contented sigh, she realizes that this is what she had been longing for,  _not in a romantic way_ , and the conversation of Nate and Serena fades away.

"By the way, what do they think you're doing right now?" Dan asks afterward as they lay in his bed with a spacious three or so inches between them. Blair's heart is still pounding and she pushes back a stray hair from her slightly glistening face.

"Who knows," Blair replies in a blasé tone. "They didn't even bother to ask why I would be receiving something, let alone a movie, from you. They were far too caught up in the horror of seeing a physical copy of a DVD. So I trust they would hardly speculate we're together at the moment so don't worry."

Dan eyes her as she sits up against the propped up pillow behind her head. "Why would that worry me?"

"Because it's not like we would want anyone to know that we're...  _You know_?" Blair gestures between them. "Even if it is hate sex, I can't be associated with you Humphrey. Nor can you, I would assume since my association would likely spoil your humble hipster image."

"So," Dan feigns disappointment. "I can't include my experiences sleeping with the Hamptons' finest socialite in my article?"

"No! Definitely not!" Blair whacks Dan with a pillow.

Dan laughs and puts his hands up in the air. "Kidding, Waldorf, calm down."

Blair's face turns serious and she looks him straight in the eye. "Seriously, Humphrey, if you print anything of the sort I will sue you."

"I don't doubt it." The laughter has faded away as Dan replies gravely with an unreadable expression. Then, his features soften and he reaches for the DVD by the bed. "Should we watch this? To keep up appearances?"

Blair wrinkles her nose. "A war movie? No thanks. Let's watch…" Blair has a pensive expression and she gets out of bed. Even though it's cliche, she pulls on Dan's shirt because it's easier than putting her dress back on. Then she heads to his movie collection in the living room and returns with a copy of Amelie. "We're watching this."

Her tone is authoritative and doesn't leave room for discussion. Dan obliges her and gets up, pulling on a worn t-shirt and athletic jogger pants. He goes to the TV and slides the disc into the DVD slot on the side and slides back into bed beside her.

Their attention turns to the movie and neither of them bothers to notice that now, there is approximately one less inch of space between them than there was before.


	7. Chapter 7

The low sun ignites a shimmer in the diamonds of Serena’s new Cartier love bracelet resting daintily on her lithe arm. She and Blair are in the backyard of the Archibald estate awaiting another dinner party in which most of the guests have yet to arrive. Blair looks over to see her best friend spinning her wrist each way, as though studying it. “Are you looking for a secret engraving or something, S?”

Serena looks up to frown at her best friend. “I don’t know, B…” She sounds so pensive you’d think Blair just asked her how the planets came to exist. “Don’t you think it’s too much too soon?”

“Seriously?” Blair realizes Serena is being serious and takes in her thoughtful expression. “I thought you were ready to marry Nate, why would a bracelet seem like too much?”   
  
“It’s not just the bracelet,” Serena exhales and Blair starts to see that familiarly flight look in her eyes. “It’s all the stuff he said to me as he presented me with it. It was a lot. I just realized how serious this is and it’s taken me by surprise, I guess.”

Blair tries not to say, I told you so, and instead channels her inner Buddah gives sage advice. “I think Nate makes you happy and you two just make sense. Plus, you love whirlwind romances, he’s perfect for you. But if you’re having doubts, maybe think hard on why you’re having those doubts. Don’t just catch the next flight to Santorini like Serena of last summer would. Take time to think it over before making a rash decision.”

Serena nods, this idea seeming to sit well with her. “Thanks, B. That’s a good idea. So on that note, maybe a girls weekend is in order? Just you and me, just like old times.”

Blair finds a smile crossing her face as she nods. “Sounds perfect. Now, let’s stop being so antisocial and go mingle.”

The girls go down the hallway and through the dining room to head outside where everyone else is enjoying hors d'oeuvres. But as they pass through, Serena hesitates at the dining table. Blair watches as Serena eyes the name cards with skepticism. "You're next to Dan,"

She pulls a worried face and begins to reach for Dan’s namecard. "I’ll swap my card with Dan’s so you and I are next to each other and he's next to Nate."

"No,” Blair exclaims suddenly. “Don't!"

Serena is caught by surprise and her delicate pink mouth falls open in surprise. "What?"

Blair quickly recovers, "You should sit next to Nate, don't worry about me. I'll be fine, besides I have a few new barbs I’m dying to try out on Humphrey.”

She studies her best friend’s face to see if this half-assed excuse will cover up her faux pas. She knows it has as Serena sets the card back down with a shrug and heads for the backyard. Blair dutifully follows her to where Nate and Dan stand, chatting amicably with drinks in their hands.

"Dan,” Serena begins with an interested smile. “Nate told me your sister will be joining us this evening. I can’t wait to meet her, will she be staying long?”

“She will be, actually,” Dan replies with a nod. “She'll be in the Hamptons for a few days."

As the two chat more about Dan’s sister, Blair remains quiet, uncertain of how to join the conversation. Ever since she began sleeping with Dan, their public interactions are tentative and fraught with something indiscernible. She finds herself on edge that the others around them will be able to sense the new development in their dynamic. Judging by Serena’s reaction to the seating arrangement, such foreboding is clearly misguided as she doesn’t seem the wiser and she knows Blair better than anyone.

A thoughtful remark enters Blair’s mind and as she’s about to speak, a willowy blonde approaches. The girl is beaming and headed straight for Dan, immersing him a hug once she’s reached him. Blair observes in fascination, taking in Dan’s boyish smile which she has to admit is rather jarring. She’s so used to seeing that ever present frown on his face that such a grin is rather disarming.

Blair is still studying Dan’s expression when she’s suddenly jabbed in the ribs, subtly, by Serena. Blair realizes, with a start, the newcomer is looking at her expectantly. “I’m Jenny,”

Blair recovers just as the blonde offers her hand in introduction, “Blair Waldorf.”

"I know!” Jenny’s smile widens. “Dan told me so much about you. I'm so happy to finally meet you.”

"I'm pleased to meet you too." Blair replies evenly, tossing a sideways glance at Dan. She swears she spots a faint pink tinge to his cheeks as he looks away.

Nate resumes hosting duties and offers to grab Jenny a drink. Jenny pushes a strand of curly hair behind her ear and nods.

"I'll come with you," Serena says and then links arms with Jenny. "Come too, Jenny, I want to hear more about you."

Once the three are gone, Blair turns to Dan with a teasing tone, "You’ve told your sister all about me, huh? I hope someone hasn’t developed a crush."

Blair waits for his retort but it doesn't come. Instead, the air remains tense as he stays silent with something like a scowl on his face. Feeling uncomfortable suddenly Blair tries to break the silence, "You didn't mention your sister would be visiting..."

"Yes,” Dan looks at her sharply. “Oddly, I don't discuss my family while in bed with a girl."

Blair tries not to feel stung at his sardonic remark and instead brushes the comment off. "Is Jenny staying with you?"

"Yes, she is." Dan replies vaguely.

"Oh, so…" Blair trails off apprehensively and Dan catches where she was headed.

"We probably won't be seeing each other for a few days." Dan eyes her warily. "Don't look too heartbroken, Waldorf. Don't tell me you've developed a crush?"

The wry smile he shoots her sets them back on familiar territory. “You wish, Humphrey.”

With that, Blair retreats inside to sort of the uneasy feeling settling in her gut.

* * *

The trouble with Blair’s plan to avoid Dan for the rest of the evening is the seating arrangement. Blair had forgotten the tableau in the dining room earlier with Serena and her foolish insistence on sitting next to Dan.

As soon as the guests are called to dinner, herself included, she spots the adjacent nametags and feels the full weight of her blunder. She sends a surreptitious glance around the room and notices everyone is too engrossed in conversation to be paying attention to her. Perhaps this mistake can be remedied...

"I think you're rather locked into this seat,” A voice comes from behind her, startling her as she reaches the namecard reading Dan. “Sorry to disappoint you."

Blair drops the card back into its placeholder and faces Dan with a steady expression. "Poor you I suppose I'll try to spare you from my endless talk of shopping and gossip."

"So we're back to that?” Dan raises an eyebrow and she realizes her retort was a poorly chosen one. “I thought we were past it."

"You're the one who started _it_.” Blair tosses back. “How do you know I wasn't quite pleased with my seat?"

"Because you had that look in your eyes you get when you've started scheming and your hand was on my namecard rather than your own,” Dan replies matter-of-factly. “Who knows how you were planning to get out of this spot when the assigned seating swap failed."

"Oh, I had a few ideas." Blair narrows her eyes and then looks down pointedly at the sharp, glimmering silverware. Dan follows her eyes and then furrows his brow.

As his mouth falls open to reply, they are interrupted by Serena’s presence. She slides into the seat two down from Blair and leans over the table setting to start a conversation with both Blair and Dan. They sport twin ‘we’re getting along’ smiles as they participate in her endless chatter. Every now and then, one of them makes a pointed response that only the other can catch on to and with each backhanded comment Dan makes, he’s met with a swift kick under the table by Blair.

None of the other dinner guests seem to notice their silent war brewing as the polite conversation trickles on. By the time dessert is served, Blair feels confident that she and Dan are firmly back in enemies territory.

Once the table has been cleared, Blair ditches Dan in favor of Serena. But before the two can leave for their own cottage, Dan rejoins her. Serena takes this as an opportunity to say goodbye to Nate, leaving the two alone in the empty foyer.

“I thought I should clear something up before I leave,” Dan begins. “The reason I spoke of you to my sister is for professional reasons, rather than personal ones. Jenny got her degree in Apparel Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Since your mother is a designer, I thought your relation to her might be of interest. When I mentioned it, I learned that she has been an admirer of Waldorf Designs for a while.”

Blair takes all this in and before she can say anything, Dan continues cooly. “Anyways, I thought you should know that so you don’t let Jenny’s comment go to your head. Your ego is already far too enormous.”

Blair digests this and then says bitterly, "You should have said so sooner. I would have been happy to introduce Jenny to my mother. In fact, I could have arranged for my mother to be here tonight so it’s unfortunate you chose to take this as an opportunity to properly deflate my ego rather than to discuss a chance for Jenny to meet her. Thanks for clearing that up, though. I am suitably humbled."

As Blair finished with a harsh glare, Dan is still rendered speechless. In fact, regret seems to be splayed across his features. “Blair,”

"Waldorf." Blair corrects him but Dan shakes his head as though he needs to continue speaking.

Before he can say more, Blair spots Serena out of the corner of her eye."Goodnight, Humphrey,"

Her footsteps echo down the hallway as Serena trails after her and as they walk home in the brisk air, she tries not to think of her final conversation of the evening with Dan. The conversation that had seemed like a succession of turning tables that never quite stopped their rotations. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New content in this chapter! This one differs the most from the original version of this story (posted on FFnet) and I hope you all will like it.

The sparkling Cartier bracelet is back in its rightful place by Tuesday. Blair supposes that absence really does make the heart grow fonder as Serena spends the weekend staring dreamily into the distance thinking of Nate. In Blair’s case, absence makes her hatred grow stronger. It’s been four days since her dispute with Dan in the Archibald foyer and she’s replayed the moment in her head numerous times.

She has come to the conclusion that hate sex was far from a permanent solution and no amount of it could have ever remedied the fact that Dan Humphrey is an egotistical, pretentious asshole.

Blair has contemplated and subsequently imagined, marching down the street to his house and giving him a dressing down. It was completely unnecessary and hypocritical to make that remark about her ego being “far too enormous.” All she had done was quip that he had a crush, the same joke he made shortly thereafter…

But every time she steps outside and stares down the street, the harsh light of day is too sobering to drive her in his direction. She also worries if she did such a thing, she’d only be proving his initial impression of her and that keeps her firmly planted on her block of the street.

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Nor would she give him the satisfaction of ever knowing that she sort of has been missing their trysts. There was something so tantalizing about being so close to someone who set her skin on fire and ignited such a fierce feeling deep within.

So a new outlet was in order for her hatred. She thinks she’ll take up boxing.

As she’s doing research on whether there are any designer collections of boxing attire and gear, Serena paces into the living room. She looks frantic, hair slightly dissolved, hands twitching by her sides.

“B,” Serena practically screeches. “It’s been four days, four days! I still haven’t seen, Nate.”

“Well,” Blair closes her laptop with a flourish, focusing her attention on her best friend who seems to be growing more agitated by the second. “You spent two days with me which Nate knew… So discount those. It’s technically only been two days that you normally would have seen each other but haven’t. He’s busy with his campaign, this is a preview of what it’s like to be a politician's wife, if anything.”

“Wife?” Serena gawks. “All I’m asking is to be his girlfriend.”

“I know that but,” Blair tries for a placating tone. “He’s a busy man with an enormous amount of pressure put on him by his family and campaign manager. Give him time.”

“Fine,” Serena sighs and sits down on the couch. “I’m just so bored. I’ll go stir crazy if I spend the rest of my summer sitting around in this cottage. Hey, let’s go out!”

Blair is concerned the crazy has already kicked in with the manic smile Serena is sporting. She asks hesitantly, “Go out where?”

“Anywhere!” Serena whips out her phone. “I’ll text everyone and see what’s happening today.”

It turns out, she was being serious about texting everyone because during the next ten minutes her phone is a flurry of activity. Blair meanwhile resumes her athletic equipment search, dismaying when she finds that Everlast has yet to collaborate with Karl Lagerfeld or anyone notable for that matter. She makes a mental note to contact their corporate offices with the suggestion.

“Okay!” Serena stands up and pulls Blair up with her. “We’re going to Caroline’s!”

“Caroline’s?” Blair grimaces. “That’s Carter’s sister, why would be going to her place?”

“Because her party is, according to Kati, ‘flush with booze and boys.’ That’s what we need right now.” She amends. “The booze part, not the boys. Although it doesn’t hurt to look.”

“If Carter is there, I really shouldn’t go.” Blair won’t budge as Serena tries to drag her away from the living room.

“I thought you guys were friends now?” Serena cocks her head. “If I’m saying we should go, then you know it’s fine. I’m not exactly a fan of Carter either and you’re the one that said he’s reformed.”

“Fine,” Blair lets out a sharp exhale. “But let’s do a shot first, I need it if I have to face him.”

“Yay!” Serena practically skips to the kitchen and is on a high as she pours them shots of Patron.

By the time they get to Caroline’s beachfront estate, they’re both thoroughly buzzed. Buzzed enough that Blair wonders why she wasn’t game for this sooner.

“Blair!” Caroline’s twiggy frame envelops Blair’s in a tight hug as she greets them. “I haven’t seen you in forever. And you, Serena! Where have you two been all summer?”

“She’s been a little too busy with Nate Archibald to be bothered to socialize,” Blair bumps Serena on the hip and gives Caroline an exasperated look.

“I heard!” Caroline’s grey eyes, the same shade as Carter’s, light up. “How did you manage to snag the Hamptons’ most eligible bachelor?”

Caroline hooks her arms through Blair and Serena’s as she guides them onto the beach. Outside, Blair can see that Kati wasn’t exaggerating with her description of this party. It’s practically a frat party with all the shirtless guys taking body shots off of bikini-clad socialites. Blair wrinkles her nose at the sight and heads straight for the alcohol, knowing she’ll need far more alcohol in her system if she’s to process this new environment.

“Blair,” Deja vu strikes as Blair is mid-pour. She turns around to see Carter looking decidedly sober and out of place in his khakis and polo. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“Hi,” Blair finishes filling her glass with margarita and then faces him, uncertain of how to greet him. There’s an awkward moment before he leans in to hug her, sans a cheek kiss. Somehow, she feels disappointed, like it’s another hit to her ego that he didn’t greet her the way he did just a few weeks ago. “How are you?”

His eyebrows crease, “Well, I’d be lying if I said I was good at the moment. But I’m managing. This isn’t the best environment being recently sober and all but I promised Caroline I’d stop by for a bit.”

Blair nods, thoughtfully. As she looks into his eyes, she can see a light that didn’t used to be there. His cloudy eyes used to always seem to be marred with darkness but now, she sees a hope she didn’t before. She knows, that he’s telling the truth about being sober. Not that she didn’t believe him before, it’s just a lot more convincing at this moment when seeing the stark contrast of him versus say the guy currently doing a keg stand.

On impulse, she discards her margarita on the table and hopes she doesn’t regret this next question she’ll ask. “Want to get away for a bit? I think this party is a little too Jersey Shore for me.”

“Sure,” He smiles. “That would be great, actually.”

As they trek across the sand, making their way towards the water, Carter looks over at her. “So what have you been up to since I last saw you?”

“Oh, just third-wheeling Serena and her new boyfriend.” Blair sighs. “It’s been a thrilling summer.”

Carter laughs, “So she’s still dating Nate?”

Blair nods, “I think so. Though, I think things are a little rocky with them right now. But it’ll work out, you know how everything always seems to go in Serena’s favor.”

Carter gives her an understanding look as they reach the shore. “What about you? Are you dating anyone?”

Blair tries to gauge whether he’s just asking conversationally or if he’s completely forgotten their conversation at the cafe that day where she told him he had no chance with her again. He seems to read her thoughts as he speaks again.

“Just wondering. Sorry, I probably shouldn’t ask that.” He chuckles awkwardly.

“It’s fine,” Blair fiddles with the tassel ties on her sundress. “I’m not dating anyone.”

For some reason, it feels like a lie even though it’s the truth. She’s not dating Dan. She doesn’t even like him on a personal level much less a romantic one. So why does she start prickling as soon as she’s answered his question?

“I thought maybe you were seeing Dan Humphrey,” Carter confesses. “I heard something about you guys hanging out.”

“Oh,” Blair is surprised.

“But I guess that’s just cause he’s Nate’s best friend, huh?” He looks at her inquisitively.

She finds herself nodding. “We’re just friends- or not friends.” She backtracks. “Acquaintances, I suppose.”

Feeling uneasy, she changes the subject as a breeze chills her skin. “You must start your new job soon, right?”

“Yes,” Carter turns serious. “Today is actually my last day in the Hamptons. I’m heading back to the city tomorrow.”

They exchange sad smiles and Blair can honestly say she hopes she sees him again, like this, in the near feature. So they weren’t compatible romantically… He still meant something to her, once. She wants to see him succeed.

“In that case,” Blair smirks, lightening the mood. “We should go back to the party so you can get in your goodbyes before fleeing this frat-fest. Let’s hope your sister isn’t too wasted to see you off.”

“Let’s hope not,” Carter echoes.

Blair supposes she shouldn’t be surprised when Serena comes home heartbroken the following night, yet she still is. Because it’s Serena. The golden girl who’s only ever _broken_ hearts. Not the other way around.

Nate finally said he was available and asked her to dinner, so it seemed things were back on track. But instead, he tells her that he has to head back to the city to refocus on his campaign. That while he thinks she’s amazing and the perfect girl for him, it’s just not the right time and he doesn’t want to be in a relationship if he can’t truly commit. Then some bullshit about how she deserves someone that’ll put her first and a bunch of other lines that eighty percent of girls hear at some point in their lives. But not Serena.

Blair would never admit it, but it’s sort of gratifying in a way to see Serena get dumped. Not that she doesn’t want her best friend to be happy, naturally she does. It’s just, Blair’s whole life has been spent watching Serena live the golden life and at last, the light has faded. Just for a moment, because Serena is never down for long.

“What do you think about the west coast?” Serena asks suddenly as she and Blair are laying out in the backyard, enjoying the afternoon sun.

Blair pulls off her sunglasses and swivels to survey Serena. “You’re not serious?”

“I am,” Serena keeps her gaze fixed off in the distant. “It would be like this, year around. All sunshine and no politicians with campaigns they’d rather spend time on than you. Maybe I could date an actor… Oh! Actually, I still have the number for David O. Russell’s assistant. I’m going to text her,”

Just like that, Serena is back to the Serena Blair has always known. The girl always with someplace to be and someday to be with. Blair contemplates a way to dissuade this plan but comes up empty. “I suppose dating an actor could have its perks. You can learn some new makeup tips since you know they wear more foundation than you do. Oh and maybe you can start doing coke and you won’t have to juice cleanse anymore!”

“B,” Serena reasons. “I don’t want to leave you but I can’t just mope around the Hamptons for the last few weeks of summer. I want to make the most of it. Meet new people, fall in love again, find a career path.”

“Okay, okay,” Blair exhales. “Suit yourself. I’ll find some way to occupy myself in these lonesome coming weeks, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure you will,” Serena agrees confidently.

It’s then that Blair thinks of Dan, in an idle, curious fashion. A way that makes her forget about her anger at him and instead, think _maybe_ seeing him one last time this summer wouldn’t hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw this rewrite as an opportunity to improve my story and one of the major flaws in the original version was that Carter sort of disappeared after Chapter 3 making his plotline seem random and unnecessary. My goal for the new scene on the beach was to fix that and round out his storyline with Blair. I know a few of you read the original so hopefully, you agree :) Chapter 9 will be posted soon!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another extended chapter :)

It’s eerily quiet as Blair wakes Thursday morning to an empty cottage. Serena is gone now, probably already mingling with the stars in LA while Blair stares at the ceiling, wondering how she’ll fill her days.

After rising and getting ready, she decides stopping by her mother’s could be a good way to fill her empty agenda. The fall presentation of Waldorf Designs is rapidly approaching and knowing her mother, she’s probably in over her head with securing final, extravagant, details.

Blair steps through the estate’s grandiose front door, after unlocking it with the key she keeps in the pocket of her Hermes handbag, and finds it just as quiet as her own place. She peers around the foyer, “Mother?”

“Blair,” Aaron’s reedy voice trickles through the hallway and out he steps, looking enthused. Of course, Blair reminds herself, this is why she never stays at her mother’s. “How ya been?”

“I have been well,” Blair replies icily as she side steps Aaron’s attempt at a hug. She continues through to the dining room where she finds her mother, glasses perched on her nose and a frown on her face.

Eleanor looks up and gives Blair a knowing look, “Blair, darling, I’ve spoken to Lily and heard all about Serena. How unfortunate, I really thought she and Nate were a great match.”

“Me too,” Blair agrees while stepping forward to survey her mother’s work. Outstretched on the dining table is a mood board with scraps of fabric, a measuring tape lays beside it, and a few sketches. “With Serena gone, I figured I could help you prepare for the presentation.”

“That would be wonderful, darling.” Eleanor brightens and smooths her uncharacteristically frazzled hair. “The seating chart!”

Eleanor starts scrounging around the chaotic scene of the dining table to seemingly find the uncompleted seating chart. Blair finds it at the opposite end and retrieves it. She holds it up in triumph. “I’m on it.”

Mother and daughter exchange a smile before Blair pulls out a chair and gets to work.

Blair finally decides to flee her mother’s when at 7 PM, Aaron comes into the dining room armed with an extra-large bowl of popcorn. “Staying for family movie night?”

Blair looks at her mother to confirm that yes, they actually are having a family movie night. She wrinkles her nose at the prospect of such a suburban pastime and wonders yet again what Cyrus Rose has done to her mother. She doesn’t even try to sound disappointed as she declines the invitation. “I have to pass.”

Aaron had been unavoidable as they had all eaten lunch and she was resigned to listening to him talk all about the yoga studio he was building in what used to be the estate’s greenhouse. He had even offered to teach her, touting his Bikram instructor status, to which she had quickly declined as she ate her Caprese sandwich further.

She could only imagine what crunchy movie he had picked out. Probably a documentary on composting, ugh. The thought alone sparks Blair to tidy up faster and grab her handbag, making a beeline for the front door.

Her mother thanks her for her help and asks Blair to return again soon to help to which Blair somewhat reluctantly agrees. As she rides in her family town car home, she stares out the window thinking of the desolate cottage she’ll be returning to. Even Serena with Nate perma-glued to her side was a better prospect to come home to than a dark cottage.

The car slows to a stop in front of her place and she says a quick thank you to the driver before stepping out. As she turns to walk up the pathway to the front door, she realizes there’s a figure standing on her porch.

As she’s trying to work out who it is, the figure turns to reveal- “Humphrey?”

She squints into the dark, trying to let her eyes confirm it’s him but his voice is all the confirmation she needs. “Oh, I thought you weren’t home.”

He points at the door, as though he had just been knocking before stuffing his hands into his pockets, awkwardly. Blair frowns in bemusement, approaching him. “I wasn’t. What are you doing here?”

“I, uh-” He pauses and Blair wonders why he’s on her porch if he doesn’t even know what he wants to say. “I wanted to say that Jenny was really glad to meet you."

She waits for him to go on, maybe even to apologize for his rudeness the other night, but he doesn’t. So Blair finally speaks instead with a sardonic tone. “Well, how thoughtful of you to come by just to tell me that. Was that all?”

As she waits for his reply, she fetches her keys out of her bag and jingles them.

“Yeah, I mean mostly.” Dan says vaguely, proceeding towards her as though heading away from her house and back down the block. But abruptly, he stops short. "What are you doing right now?"

Blair contemplates her answer for a moment and then decides to return his question with a question of her own. "Why?"

Dan runs a hand through his hair, mussing it further. "Since Nate has headed back to the city and-”

“Serena is gone too,” Blair finishes for him but instead is met with a confused expression.

“Where?”

“Oh, I guess you wouldn’t know.” Blair realizes that Nate obviously was the only link that could have provided that information, but since their breakup he probably doesn’t even know. "Sere went to LA. She has connections there."

"Oh, is she okay?" Dan sounds slightly concerned.

"She's fine,” Blair replies vaguely and looks off toward the cottage. “She needed a change of scenery."

"Right.” Dan nods. “Perhaps you and I could…"

As Dan trails off, realization dawns on Blair and she can’t help but let a wicked smile form. "Ah, I see now, Humphrey. You missed me, didn't you?"

"No," Dan’s contradiction comes too quick.

Blair hides the tiny glow of satisfaction she feels at this turn of events. She would never admit it to anyone, especially not him, but she had been hoping for this very scenario. Especially when thinking about how dull the rest of her summer might turn out to be.

In fact, yesterday, a small flicker of disappointment had crossed her as a concern had taken hold. With Serena and Nate both gone, the chances of seeing Dan again were significantly lower. But here is, on her doorstep and making propositions that begin with ‘you and I.’

Blair surveys him now and sees that he looks like he might be about to say forget it and turn away so she lightens up and drops the smug act. She holds up her keys and gestures toward the front door. “Come in, Humphrey. I can see you’re dying to.”

Dan grudgingly follows her in. “I didn't miss you. In fact, I found myself thinking this week about how nice it was to not have to be on my toes awaiting every sharp-witted insult you'd toss my way."

"That sounds like a compliment," Blair smirks, setting her bag down the side table and then kicking off her shoes. She faces him now having to look up ever so slightly without the added height of her heels.

"It's not." Dan states firmly with a flat expression. He glances at the door, suddenly. "Maybe I should go home-"

"No," Blair’s abrupt protest catches both her and Dan by surprise. She lets out a breath in resolve. "Fine, I'll admit I've been bored too. I thrive off of having a rival and it has been rather dull not seeing you. I mean, I spent part of the day hanging out with Aaron Rose which says it all."

Dan laughs as he follows her into her bedroom. "Isn't that your stepbrother who has a crush on you?"

Blair narrows her eyes at him in warning. “Yes.”

“It’s sort of creepy isn’t it, how he flirts with you even though the two of you are practically siblings?”

“It is creepy,” Blair agrees. “But by no means are we ‘practically siblings.’ He got the idea somehow that I was interested in him before I knew who he was. A drunken misunderstanding really-”

“Wait,” Dan abruptly stops taking off his jacket, letting one sleeve hang loose as he stares back at her dumbfounded. “A drunken misunderstanding… You don’t mean?” Blair realizes she’s said too much. She steps forward, tugging his jacket off the rest of the way. “Nevermind.”

“No,” Dan shakes his head, keeping his eyes trained on her. “I’m far too intrigued. Did you make a move on him or something? Accidentally?”

Blair huffs in frustration. “I didn’t know he was Cyrus’ son and I was really drunk. And lonely. And feeling rebellious. So yes, maybe I accidentally flirted with him but it wasn’t my fault?”

She lets the jacket fall the floor with a flourish as Dan breaks into a fit of laughter. “Wow, Blair. I don’t know whether to be humiliated for you or to be offended. Cause I’m starting to think you have a pattern of making moves on men you claim to disdain. Here, I thought I was the only one.”

“I couldn’t have ' _disdained '_ him yet,” Blair contradicts and then realizes she’s making a case for the wrong argument. “That’s not the point. Shut up about it before I kick you out.”

“Fine,” Dan acquiesces, pulling her toward him. “I’ll stop. But why were you lonely?”

“Recent breakup,” Blair replies vaguely, leaning forward to kiss him. She hopes it’ll finally shut him up.

It doesn’t. “A bad breakup?” Dan asks as he pulls away, peering at her. “How long was the relationship?”

Blair glares at him. “Irrelevant. Stop the twenty questions. It’s making me think you’re trying to get to know me and that’s not what this is.”

Blair tries to kiss him again but Dan keeps his lips at bay but their faces close enough that she can’t quite survey his expression. “What is this?”

She tightens her grip around his shoulders and walks him back toward the bed. She pushes him down so he falls on the mattress, dramatically. Tumbling down on top of him, she replies simply, “It’s this.”

Her lips catch his again and her fingers methodically undo his buttons. That should answer his question.


	10. Chapter 10

July treks on with little ceremony as Blair’s days blend together. It turns out, Serena’s absence has quite the perk. Namely, the ease in which she can meet up with Dan Humphrey without little care for discretion. Living on the same street has its benefits too. There’s no necessary contemplation of sleeping over at each other’s places because they live far too close to one another for such a notion.

Besides, that would be much too intimate.

She’s just stepping through her own front door after a sunny day spent watching movies at his place when her phone begins to ring. Glancing at the screen she sees that it’s Serena, Facetiming her. She quickly pads over to the mirror and checks that her lipstick isn’t smudged enough for Serena to be inquisitive about such a state of disarray.

She swipes answer and is met with the glowy face of a beaming Serena. “B! You answered. I wasn’t sure if you’d be off at some party. How are you? I miss you so much!”

Blair smiles back and settles onto the couch, phone held in front of her face. “It’s been pretty low-key around here, you really aren’t missing out on much. Tell me how LA is, instead.”

Serena buzzes about her new job as a production assistant. Of course with Serena’s looks she’s spent less time doing grunt work and mostly plies the producers and director with coffee and pretty white-toothed smiles.

It’s Serena’s first job since college and it does remind Blair that she should spend at least a day or two this summer fielding job prospects. She had come straight here after graduating from her Master’s program and hadn’t decided whether or not to take up her mother’s offer on a position at Waldorf Designs.

Blair refocuses on what Serena is saying, fixating on the smile spread across her lips. Even though her best friend’s eyes sparkle, Blair can still see the traces of sadness etched in Serena’s face. At last, Serena asks the question Blair knows she’s had on her mind the whole duration of the conversation. “So have you heard anything about Nate?”

“He’s in DC this week working on his campaign, according to Dan.” Too late, Blair realizes her error.

"Dan?" Serena’s face crinkles as she questions with an incredulous tone. "Not Dan Humphrey, mortal enemy of Blair Waldorf?"

 _Shit_ , Blair thinks. Realizing it would be a lot easier to speak openly with Serena if she filled her in on the change in their… dynamic, Blair decides there’s no time like the present.

"Actually, yes. Dan Humphrey. We-" Blair begins.

"Oh my god, I can't believe you've seen him and talked to him. With no supervision, that sounds dangerous." Serena jokes.

"Yes, I have something to tell you about him-" Blair tries again.

Serena cuts her off, "Me too." Her tone has turned serious.

"Oh, really?" Blair feels a flicker of trepidation and wonders if somehow Serena already found out about her and Dan. She knew she should have been more careful traipsing over to his place in broad daylight so regularly.

"I think Dan had something to do with Nate dumping me."

That’s not what Blair was expecting.

"What?" Blair stares at the screen in shock.

"Yeah, Dan is Nate's closest friend and Nate mentioned on multiple occasions how seriously he takes Dan's opinion.” Serena is explaining, her chin resting on her hand. “Then, he not so subtly hinted that Dan didn’t approve of our relationship during dinner the night he broke it off."

"What do you mean he hinted at it?" Blair is skeptical.

"Well, he said a trusted friend pointed out to him that this is a crucial time for him and his campaign. Who else would that be?"

Blair digests this and is silent while she thinks. But Serena breaks the quiet in a rush.

"But what did you want to say about him? Did you find out something too?" Her eyes are so inquisitive and hopeful, Blair realizes she can’t possible tell her now. That would be a betrayal.

Blair swallows, "No, I was just going to say that he asked about you. He asked if you were alright..."

"Oh, I guess he feels guilty about breaking us up." Serena speculates in an undertone.

"S, I know he's smug and arrogant, but I really don't see him as a master manipulator." Blair reasons with her.

"I mean, I don't blame him entirely but I really think he played a part." She says in a lower voice. "But who knows... Maybe he just nudged Nate in the direction he was already leaning.”

Serena drifts off until she is suddenly reinvigorated with new fervor. "Oh guess what? I met the CEO of this company, Stylesetter, that fashion start-up. I happened to mention you and your on-and-off work for Waldorf Designs and it turns out they're looking for a new creative director. I may have given them your number so don't be surprised if you hear from them."

This was classic Serena. She was always meeting someone of importance and getting something out of the encounter. Except in this case, it was apparently Blair who was to benefit from the happenstance meeting. Blair actually even knew of the start-up to which Serena was referring. Stylesetter had founded a must-have closet organization app that's now on every fashionista's phone and the company was included in Forbes' latest "15 Startups To Watch" list.

"I doubt they'll call me." Blair tries to sound nonchalant. It’s not like finding a job was on today’s to-do list. It was more so a near future goal so it doesn’t really matter either way if this random opportunity pans out.

"Why not?” Serena presses on. “You have the most impressive resume of any twenty-nine-year old I know."

"You're only saying that because you're my best friend and you basically have to." Blair points out. She looks off into the distance of the cottage, trying to think of an excuse to terminate this call.

"You say that now but you'll see. I guarantee they'll call." Suddenly there are voices in the background and Blair doesn’t need to feign an excuse because Serena beats her to it, "Blair, I have to go. But we'll talk soon!"

Serena clicks off before Blair can say more than a quick goodbye. Staring down at the now connection-less phone, Blair drums her fingers against her the tufted sofa.

Her mind is a whirl of Dan Humphrey, job offers, and a bunch of other real-life problems she hadn't intended on thinking of today. Or this summer, for that matter. She’s still stuck on the Humphrey-revelation, trying to decide if he really would have played a hand in Serena’s breakup.

Blair can’t think of even one time where Dan spoke derisively of Serena. But she can think of many a time he spoke out against her own character. So perhaps he had a problem with Nate’s new girlfriend’s best friend which was awfully hypocritical considering the fact that he was said best friend was currently his partner in numerous rounds of vicious hate sex.

At last, Blair tosses her phone onto the couch and decides a little more fuel to the fire between her and Dan never hurt.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sincerest apologies it took me so long to update this! The holidays kept me from my rewrite so I appreciate you all enduring the wait :) Thank you for continuing to read!

A stream of afternoon sunlight is shining on Dan’s face as he lets out a contented exhale. Blair is studying his features and reaches a hand tentatively toward his way, careful not to make the gesture romantic. “Have you ever thought of cutting your hair?”

She feels Dan stiffen a little but still, a wry expression crosses his face.

“No, but let me guess, you think I should.” Dan predicts, acutely.

Blair nods, twirling one of his tendrils between her fingertips. “Like an inch or two. You have good bone structure. A shorter haircut would flatter your cheekbones.”

“Was that a compliment?” Dan quirks a brow, turning to look at her.

“It’s irrelevant unless you get that haircut.” Blair’s hand retreats and she lets it rest back on the silky lavender bed sheets. She can feel the brush of his pinky against hers and she doesn’t feel compelled to move her hand away further.

Dan laughs, sounding unsurprised by her comment and simply tells her, “Duly noted.”

A short while later, they both sit up and put their respective clothing back on. Without discussing it, Blair presses play on the movie they were halfway through and they continue their viewing. An intermission was a good reprieve, Blair decides, as they resume it. She keeps finding her gaze flick elsewhere as she tries to get back into the movie.

It’s his pick, not hers. Ocean’s Eleven because he stated it was a crime that she hadn’t seen any of them.

When the credits roll, Dan stands to leave, as is the status quo. Blair sees him out and wonders briefly whether they will do this all over again tomorrow at her place or his. Probably hers, the bedding is nicer and doesn’t have that scratchy feel.

As she locks the door, she hears her phone ring out, piercing the silence. She prances to the kitchen, trying to catch the call in time. It’s an unfamiliar number with a Los Angeles area code. Serena, she guesses.

“Is this Blair Waldorf?” She’s greeted by an unfamiliar female voice.

"Yes, this is she." Blair responds, crisply.

"Hi, Ms. Waldorf. This is Jemima from Stylesetter.” Her voice is suddenly perky and bright. “I was hoping to get to know you over a quick call. Would you be free right now to chat for a few minutes?"

Blair nods, still standing at the kitchen counter, but then realizes she can’t see that so instead she says, "Thanks so much for reaching out. I'd love to talk."

A few minutes quickly spins into a half hour as Blair goes over her education and work experience. Jemima in turn tells Blair about the work culture at Stylesetter and the company’s goals in terms of growth. Before the call is over, Jemima is proposing an in-person interview.

“I’m actually on the East Coast.” Blair informs Jemima, thinking of how typically Serena it is to not mention this crucial detail to the company. She waits for Jemima to tell her they have an East Coast office or can do a video interview but she doesn’t.

“How do you feel about flying out?” Jemima asks in a hopeful tone.

Blair thinks of her empty planner and realizes it’s not _im_ possible. But somehow, it doesn’t feel idea. It feels so sudden. “I can, I suppose. If we plan for next Monday at the earliest. That’ll give me a weekend to book a flight and get packed...”

And say a goodbye that she never expected to need to say.

 _Maybe goodbye is a dramatic word choice, a see you later_ , Blair decides.

“That’s perfect for us, thank you for being so flexible.” Jemima sounds pleased and tells Blair she’ll email her interview instructions including the company’s address.

Once the call has been hung up, Blair is quick to inform Serena of this new development. In return, Serena texts back a million happy faces, a plane, shopping bags, and confetti emojis.

Even staring at her friend’s clear elation, the feeling doesn’t quite resonate in Blair. She should be thrilled, texting Kati and Isabel to meet up for drinks to celebrate. But instead she finds herself staring out the window thinking of how this summer is coming to a close faster than she wanted it to.

It’s just a job interview, Blair reminds herself. It’s not like she’s uprooting her life…

_Yet._

Blair decides maybe sharing the news could reinvigorate her spirits so she scrolls through her phone. Her finger briefly hovers over the D section of her contacts even though his name isn’t there. _Fucking DVD contact system_ , she chides their dysfunctional communication system. Even if she would never actually text him.

Her Saturday night is spent feigning smiles over flutes of champagne with her friends who suddenly feel like strangers. The thing is, Kati, Isabel, and all her other friends have always been so peripheral she’s realized she’s never even bothered to know them. And vice versa.

There was never a point, not when Serena was there. Kati, Is, and everyone were just the sound effects and the main script was always exchanged between her and Serena.

They all tell Blair to “send pics” if her new job introduces her to Ryan Gosling or anyone else hot. Blair nods, idly, glancing at the time on her phone.

 _Is 10 PM too late to show up at Humphrey’s unannounced?_ Tomorrow, she’ll be packing and then going to bed early on account of her 9 AM flight the following morning so she won’t have time to see him again. Without quite knowing if or when she’ll be back in the Hamptons, it’d be best to close this whole thing off now.

“B,” Kati breaks Blair’s musings. “What happened with Carter this summer, by the way? Did you two hook up once last time before he went off to start working for his father?”

“He’s lucky his dad owns that firm. Any other company would have done a bit of digging and seen that he’s hardly employable.” Isabel notes, derisively catching Blair off guard.

“Oh my god,” Kati and Isabel exchange a look. “She doesn’t even know. You’ve been so MIA this summer, B, you’ve missed out on everything.”

Blair looks between them, feeling annoyed as she waits for them to explain.

“It finally came out that Carter never actually got a diploma from Dartmouth. He told everyone he didn’t walk at graduation because his aunt died, remember?”

Blair nods, feeling like she had heard this through the circle. Kati goes on. “But it turns out, he was kicked out. Expelled. There was no family tragedy. Just Carter being Carter.”

“What does that mean?” Blair’s tone is clipped.

“He apparently got wasted and vandalized a professor's office.” Isabel chimes in. “He tried to sleep his way to a better grade and she threatened to report him. That night, he went in and called her a prude in red inked graffiti. Oh and a bitch. Classic Carter.”

“Oh,” Blair feels so stupid for not knowing all of this. “But that was years ago. Are you sure he wasn’t just suspended? He wears a class ring, sweatshirt, and all that alumni gear. He had to have.”

“Def hasn’t.” Kati sips her champagne. “Anyways, so did you and the vandal sleep together one last time before he reformed his bad boy ways?”“He’s been changed for a while now.” Blair feels defensive, even after hearing the story. She doesn’t like the way Kati and Isabel act like she’s so rebellious for daring sleep with him. “Didn’t you once suspended in high school, Is, for passing out some of your mom’s Xanax you stole in the girl’s bathroom?”

Isabel’s cheeks redden and she tenses. “Why are we talking about that?”

“If you can get engaged to squeaky clean Doctor Harrington and plan a June wedding with no bad reputation being mentioned of then I think Carter deserves a clean slate too.” Blair sets her empty champagne flute down roughly. “And to answer your question, Kati, no we didn’t, we’re just friends now.”

“God, B. Maybe you and Carter should have banged one more time.” Isabel says acridly. “You could really use a good fuck, it seems like.”

“Is!” Kati elbows her friend. “We’re getting beyond the point. I only brought it up cause I was curious. Oh, and I didn’t even tell you that Nate Archibald’s friend, that hipster writer guy, was involved in the whole Carter Dartmouth debacle.”

“Dan Humphrey?” Blair’s delicate brows furrow.

Kati nods. “He was on the disciplinary action committee. They have it out for each other, apparently. Marcus, who was in their year, told us all at the pool party you missed last week.”

Blair digests this, trying to find a hole in the story. But it would explain a lot if Dan was involved… His animosity toward Carter, the way the two hadn’t even acknowledged each other at the cafe that day.

She can’t decide how she feels.

“I have to go pack.” Blair announces suddenly, tossing a couple twenties on the table. “Hope the wedding planning goes well, Is. And Kati, I’ll let you know if I meet any of your celebrity crushes while I’m in LA.”

It’s a lie, but what does Kati know.

She stomps out of the bar, feeling a pulsing in her veins. She’s conflicted. She wants to be bad at Carter and Dan, but she instead just has a strange churning in her stomach. She needs to channel this feeling into something. Without knowing where she’s heading, she flags down a cab.

Blair’s fist meets Dan’s door in a knock before she even knows what she’s doing. Dan answers quickly enough that she knows he wasn’t sleeping. But his eyes do look strained, like maybe he’s been on the computer, probably writing.

“Blair,” She registers that Dan uses her first name, as he opens his front door. “It’s late. Is everything okay?”

Blair isn’t sure why she’s here or what she wants to say. But words fall out of her mouth anyway. “I thought you’d want to know that I’m leaving Monday. For a week, maybe, or longer. I’m not quite sure.”

“Oh.” Dan blinks a few times and then realizes Blair is standing out on his porch at half-past ten and finally invites her in. “Do you want coffee? Although, it’s late for that. I have decaf. Or tea. Or a drink.”

“No, Humphrey.” Blair replies simply and she leans up against his sofa. Her eyes take in the laptop and handwritten notes littering the coffee table and she feels bad for interrupting his workflow. She tries to be normal, to get rid of this crawling feeling trailing over her skin. “I’m surprised you didn’t suggest champagne to celebrate me leaving. You must be glad. Even if it might just be for a few days.

“You didn’t tell me where you’re going.” Dan steps toward her, leaving an awkward stretch of space between them. He’s peering at her with an unreadable expression. “Back to Manhattan?”

Blair shakes her head, previously tucked curls falling from her ears and framing her face. “Los Angeles, actually. Serena blithely got me roped into a job interview and it’s actually a decent prospect so I am going to go through with it.”

“You’ll take it? You’ll move?”

“If it’s offered, you mean?” Blair points out. “I don’t know yet. But I’m packing for a few weeks just in case. I told my mother, my friends, et cetera. The only person left to tell was you. Although I wasn’t quite sure if telling your nemesis about your impending departure was standard hate sex protocol.”

Dan puts his hands in the pocket of his light grey hoodie and looks off in the distance. She can’t help but feel like his contorted expression implies she’s said the wrong thing. Maybe she shouldn’t have come here at all…

It crosses her mind to ask about the Carter revelation. Or if he was involved with Serena and Nate’s breakup but then she realizes, what does it matter now? If she gets the job and takes it, she very well might not ever see him again and all of that information will be completely inconsequential.

She pushes off the edge of the sofa and starts for the door. “So know you now. I guess-”

“Wait,” Dan catches her by the wrist and she feels an unfurling in her chest. Like she had hoped he would do that. “Since you’re here…”

He trails off but he doesn’t need to finish his sentence. The way he’s looking at Blair makes her self-conscious so she closes the distance between them and entwines her hand in his. She could feel the animosity between them unraveling so quickly it was threatening to become something else entirely.

Her lips still on his, she leads the way to his bedroom, not letting him drop her hand as she pulls them down onto the bed. For some reason, as their clothes shed and their skin connects, she wills herself to remember this.

Maybe it’s the way he looked at her just a moment ago, or the way from the very moment she met him he lit a flare in her, or the way she’s never been quite so close to someone she has such a strong feeling for.

Even if that feeling is hate.

Either way, she knows someday she will come back to this moment. The feel of his hands in her hair, her lips on his neck, and their bodies so close it’s almost as if they’ve become one.

Blair lets her eyes flutter close and breathes him in. So deeply, she’s can’t sense anything but him.


	12. Chapter 12

Blair wakes with a jolt. In the dark, murky light she can’t quite make out her surroundings so she has to let her eyes adjust to the opaque room. When they do, she sees that she’s in Dan Humphrey’s bedroom and somehow she doesn’t even feel a flicker of surprise.

Glancing over, she sees he isn’t awake and that according to the clock on the nightstand, it’s four in the morning. She squeezes her eyes closed, willing him not to wake up as she climbs out of his bed. It’s apparent from the moment she pulls her dress back over her head that she will freeze on the walk home but she’ll manage. It’s summer after all and even though it may be brisk, it doesn’t even compare in the slightest to the harsh New York winters she’s endured.

She wonders if she should leave a note but then realizes she wouldn’t know what to write.

So she slips out into the dawn without a word and fills the silent streets with the sound of her heels clicking against the pavement.

When she wakes again, it’s nearly noon and she’s slept halfway through what should have been a productive day. As she rushes to catch up on her packing and interview prep, she keeps finding her mind floating back to Dan. She feels a little guilty now in the harsh light of day for leaving without saying anything.

But she had broken their unspoken rule by sleeping over. It was embarrassing enough that she had let herself drift off to sleep in the company of her greatest enemy. What would she have said? _Thanks for the sleepover Humphrey, see you next summer!_

 _No,_ she tells herself, _that was the right call_. Had the situation been reversed, he would have done the same.

By five, she sees she’s finished all the tasks on her list and now wishes she wouldn’t have gotten into the minor riff with Kati and Isabel last night because she has nothing to do except sit and count down the minutes until she’s out of this too cramped town. If she goes outside, there’s the slight chance she might run into Dan which makes her skin prickle. She can’t see him again, not after last night aka the last time.

So she’s confined to this cottage and resigns herself to more interview prep. She does so much digging on the company, she could probably write a biography of the founder, alone. Luckily, the endless research does make her grow weary and by nine, she’s able to fall asleep.

* * *

  
As scheduled, her alarm begins chiming at five thirty. Slivers of early sunlight creep through the curtains and once she’s risen, she pulls them open to let in more light. As she’s making her way to the kitchen to start the espresso maker, the doorbell chimes. It’s far too early for a visitor or even a package delivery, but she supposes it could be her mother here to try to persuade her to stay and prepare the Waldorf Designs fall presentation with her. There had been a not so subtle guilt trip about Blair “abandoning the family business at a crucial time” when she informed her mother of her new job prospect.

Worse yet it could be Aaron sent to drive Blair to the airport and remind her of her familial duties in order to inspire a last-minute change of heart. He did offer to play chauffeur, rather insistently. In case it is him, she pulls her slinky silk robe around herself tighter and approaches the door with hesitation. The last thing she wants is his prying eyes on her braless chest at this ungodly hour.

Something like relief floods her when she sees who its. But she tells herself the feeling is only stirred by the fact that anyone’s presence would be preferable to that of Aaron Rose.

“Humphrey,” Blair says with a note of surprise. “What are you doing here?”

She takes in his appearance and sees that he’s a hollower, more disheveled version of the Dan Humphrey she saw on Friday night. There are faint circles under his eyes, his hair is impossibly more rumpled than usual, and there’s an emotion in his eyes she can’t quite place.

He’s still silent, as though he’s taking her appearance in too and it makes her momentarily self-conscious. Quickly, Blair realizes this is ridiculous since he’s seen her in far less clothing but she pulls her robe closer to her, anyway.

Finally, Dan lets out a breath, dark eyes trained on her.

“I’m in love with you.” It’s not so much a statement as it is a proclamation. One that halts both her breath and the beating of her heart.

His words continue in a rush. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you. _About us._ What we could be. Despite our mutual claim of disdain, I think we both know hatred is far from what we feel for each other. You are the last person I would ever, in good conscious, fall in love with. You care far more for the wellbeing of the clothing you wear than for that of your friends. You are the embodiment of everything I hate about the Upper East Side masked by a deceptively doe-eyed face that manages to charm everyone around you enough to let your penchant for bon-mot tossing and label-whoring seem all the more endearing. Yet, I love you. And I-”

He falters here, a breath catching in his lungs, seemingly. “I think you feel the same. So let’s stop this charade of hatred and admit it was never just hate sex between us.”

Blair stares back in complete bafflement and bewilderment. Her mind reels as his words replay in her head.

_The embodiment of everything I hate._

_What the fuck?_

Indignation flares in her veins and she can barely manage a response. “ _Charade?_ There’s no charade, Humphrey. If anything you just confirmed my long-standing hatred of you. Since the moment I met you, I knew I would never feel anything but loathing for you. You are the most judgemental person I have ever met and you can’t even set aside your prejudices to proclaim your apparent love. In fact, it’s unequivocally clear from everything you just said that you feel just as abhorrent towards me as I do to you.”

A memory ignites in her mind and she continues on, more heated. “You’ve shown the same disregard towards my own feelings as you have to Serena. I know you broke up her and Nate.”

Dan, who’s remained mostly stoic until now merely displaying a mix of regret and dismay finally speaks. “How would you know that? Not that it’s even true.”

“Serena told me Nate was reminded by a ‘close friend’ that his campaign was far more important than his feelings for her.” Blair hisses. “I wonder who that could be.”

“I merely warned him that he might be losing sight of his priorities. Serena seemed flippant towards him and he was getting too invested.” Dan retaliates. “You would do the same for her, I’m sure if you felt it would protect her.”

“What about Carter?” Blair launches her next argument. “You got him kicked out of Dartmouth and were an asshole to him all summer despite the fact he’s changed. You’re the one performing character assassinations of everyone in the Hamptons and never once giving anyone a chance to prove you wrong. Yet you call me the superficial one.”

“You can’t honestly be defending Carter. I had a feeling but I didn’t want to confirm my suspicions. Is he your ex? The breakup you mentioned?”

“Yes,” Blair replies, steelier than ever. She lets out a puff of air. “I really don’t have time to be defending my choices to you because if you recall, I have a plane to catch. So if that’s all…”

She begins closing the door but not before Dan says one last thing.

“You deserve a lot better than Carter Baizen.”

As Blair’s eyes meet Dan’s- observing the hurt reflected in his brown irises, a stab of regret hits her in the chest. She watches him turn and leave with a slump to his shoulders. Her heart begins to bleed in instant remorse, it pouring out of her so strong that she wishes she could rewind the moment.

But it’s already over.

Dan Humphrey is gone and she has a plane to catch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC...


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I had finished my rewrite of Eligible then realized I hadn't when a kind reader left me a new comment on this fic! So sorry for the delay! If you've stuck out the hiatus, I owe you many thanks :)

Armed with two limited edition Kate Spade suitcases, Blair says goodbye to her summer home. As she opens the front door, keys in hand, she notices an envelope sitting neatly squarely on the porch step. Picking it up gingerly, her stomach dips as she recognizes the handwriting.

The same spiky words that had littered so many notes encased in DVDs had spelled out her name neatly. Her first name.

Glancing toward the yellow cab pulling up, she realizes she doesn't have time to read whatever hate mail he's left for her so she tucks the unopened envelope into her bag. Locking up, she heads for the cab and lets her bags be stowed away in the trunk.

In the backseat of the car, she debates opening it now but realizes she doesn't want to be rattled further before her flight. Or have her mind changed.

Not that anything Dan Humphrey could say would have that power.

The curiosity eats at her so much so that by the time she's boarded onto the family private jet her skin itches. As soon as she's helped into her seat and passed along her drink order to the attendant, her pastel nails are tearing at it with fervor. Unfolding it gently, her eyes begin to scan frantically.

_Blair,_

_I don't wish to make a fool of myself by reiterating my misguided feelings nor do I wish to try to convince you to feel the same. I would much prefer if the previously expressed sentiments were forgotten for both of our sakes._

At this, her face falls with disappointment but she presses on with reading the full letter.

_Instead, I wish to clarify to statements you made that I believe misrepresent my character so at least the record can be straight._

_First, is the matter of Nate and Serena. Contrary to what you might believe, I was not instrumental in their breakup. I did express to Nate my concerns but there was what I believe to be a good reason. The night of Anne Archibald's dinner party, I overheard you and Serena talking. From what it sounded like, she was having doubts and felt the relationship was pacing along too quickly. Nate, on the other hand, was making grand romantic gestures and completely taken with her, even rescheduling political commitments in order to spend more time with her. I urged him to slow things down and his family had meanwhile been pressuring him to refocus on his campaign. It was never my intention to break up them up or cause Serena any pain. I merely wanted him to consider taking a step back. Instead, he made a more rash decision that I believe stems from a feeling of overwhelm. I am regretful for my part in the matter._

_Secondly, is your implication that I got Carter kicked out of school. This is partly true but it was not a decision made lightly. I was on the disciplinary action panel in my senior year and Carter's case was brought forth. I should be transparent in that I was familiar with him and already had a poor opinion of him due to a transgression between him and my sister, Jenny. Carter had asked Jenny out after meeting her on campus during a visit to see me. After convincing me at eighteen, she was more than capable of making her own decisions and going forward with their scheduled date, Carter stood her up. My fragile, eighteen-year-old sister was left alone at a restaurant in an unfamiliar city by a boy she had found charming. She was devastated and embarrassed, naturally._

_Carter's case was brought forward to the committee a year later in regards to a different matter. He apparently had at one point during senior year tried to bribe his professor into giving him a better grade, a bribe of a sexual nature. The professor had shut his advances down, reported him, and followed all proper protocols. Carter, in turn, broke into her office and graffitied her office. The panel, myself included, took into account both the attempt at bribery and the vandalization and deemed no punishment adequate enough besides expulsion. Condoning such acts would reflect very negatively on Dartmouth and all it stood for which is why the committee unanimously chose that route. Have you any doubts, you can confirm this with the office of records at the university._

_I stand by my statement that you are far too good for Carter Baizen. If he has truly changed and evolved, I am glad for it. Yet I will not ever see him worthy of you given his track record. Please don't interpret this as me saying I am a more suitable choice. You have made your opinion of me unequivocally clear. I simply was troubled by the statements you made this morning and felt I needed to attempt to set them straight._

_I wish you the best of luck in Los Angeles._

_Respectfully,_

_Dan_

Blair turns the letter over in her hands, not even noticing the plane's ascent into the cloudless sky. She rereads the letter again and again. So many times that the letters on the page blur into a blob of black ink.

At last, she sets the now worn sheet down on her lap, closing her eyes briefly. His words from this morning replay in her head:

_I'm in love with you. I can't stop thinking about you._

By the time the plane is cutting through blue skies, she's certain she's made a grave mistake.

* * *

Blair doesn't have enough time to stop at Serena's rented condo to drop off her luggage so she changes on the plane and is interview-ready by the time she's touched down on the West Coast. She wills herself to forget about Dan and his…  _proclamation_  long enough to get through this interview.

She succeeds, mostly. Only faltering over one question which seemed unnoticed by Jemima, her interviewer. Her head is such a wash of varying emotions that she can't quite digest the events of the last 24 hours.

So she bursts through Serena's cottage as soon as the door is unlocked for her and tumbles into her best friend's arms. Serena's face quickly turns from glee to concern as she takes in Blair's contorted features.

"B?" Serena guides her onto the couch where Blair sinks down and plants her face in a velvet pillow. "What's wrong? Did the interview not go well?"

"It's not the interview," Blair says through muffled tones.

"I can't hear you." Serena pulls her up and makes her sit properly. The pillow remains clutched just below her chin though.

"I've been having hate sex with Dan Humphrey all summer and he told me he loved me this morning." Her words fall out in a rush and she can't bear to look at her best friend's face.

"What?" Serena's voice asks for confirmation. "Dan Humphrey, who you hate?"

"Yes, hence the term hate sex." Blair replies more cuttingly than she intended. She softens and peers at Serena. "I'm sorry, S."

"You're sorry?" Serena appears concerned. "Why?"

Blair elaborates. "For lying to you and for sleeping with someone who inadvertently broke you and Nate up." At Serena's blank face, Blair elaborates. "You should read this."

She pulls the letter out of her bag which she had flung on the floor next to her feet. "It explains the part he played in your relationship with Nate."

Blair inspects her blazer for lint as Serena reads, shrugging it off when she finds none. Serena looks up with clear blue eyes a few moments later, setting the letter back down. "Okay, now that I've read this tell me everything."

So Blair backtracks to the beginning, the night she suggested she and Dan release their mutual disdain in more creative ways, all the way to the end of the affair. This morning. The unexpected speech that twisted her insides and rattled her to the core. Serena sits there, patiently listening with an unjudging expression that makes it easier to be honest.

When Blair is finished, Serena lets out a breath as though she's just endured something. Blair can relate to the feeling.

"Well," Serena says at last. "That finally explains all the DVDs. I was going to get you a Netflix subscription for your birthday, I seriously thought you were technically inept."

She considers as Blair waits patiently. "It's sort of sweet when you think about it. I mean, imagine how much courage it must've taken for Dan to show up on the doorstep of the girl who claims to hate him and declare his love."

Blair knows from Serena's dreamy-eyed expression she's not going to be a reliably unbiased party. "S, you're conveniently forgetting the part where he called me 'the embodiment of everything he hates about the Upper East Side.'"

Serena waves this off. "You've called him worse."

"Yes, and I made it abundantly clear that I considered him my nemesis all the while. He tried to tell me he loved me. I think he's delusional…"

"Is he?" Serena asks gently. "Or are you just afraid?"

Blair bristles and can't help but respond with metallic words. "Have you gotten a degree in psychology while you've been away?" She winces as Serena visibly flinches. "Sorry. I just am so thrown off."

"I don't mean to pry, Blair." Serena replies steadily. "I just honestly was shocked when you said you were coming. When I suggested the job, it was for selfish reasons to be honest. I missed you and I was lonely so I thought maybe you could move out here. But it's you. Blair. The planner who would never do something so spontaneous so when you said you were coming, I couldn't believe it. But now, it makes more sense."

"What do you mean?" Blair scans Serena, apprehensive.

"Well, maybe you had started to fall for Dan, too." She puts up a hand. "I'm not trying to psychoanalyze you but you have to admit this," She gestures around. "Is a bit out of character for you."

Blair looks away, feeling a bit caught out. Because the implication that she had started to fall for Dan sets her nerves on fire and makes her feel like the ground is crumbling beneath her. "I don't know."

"I guess now all you can do is try to sort out how you feel about Dan before you hear back from Stylesetter. Because I'm certain they'll offer you the job so you'll have a big decision to make."

Blair nods, wondering how it is that her best friend came to be so skilled at giving sage advice. Maybe her breakup gave her a new perspective but all the while, she's grateful. "I missed you."

Serena loops her arm around Blair's shoulder, letting her sun-streaked blonde hair fall against's Blair's brunette head. The two stay there, leaning on each other, just as they have since their youth and it's a reprieve from Blair's muddled thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC... 
> 
> Chapter 14 will be up next week!


End file.
